KH: The Madness Continues
by YeeJian
Summary: A sequel of KH: Alice Madness Begins, the story take place in the game Alice: Madness Returns. Join Sora, Donald and Goofy help Alice in restoring her memory, meeting new & old characters as well as saving Wonderland from a new threat. This story is a sequel of SoraXKairi: Wedding & KH: Searching for You. Enjoy! All Characters Square-Enix, Disney & Spicy Horse
1. Back to Wonderland

In the 19th century of Victorian London in England, the city was thriving as traders with merchandise has wares to sell and dealers promoting their products to passing citizens. Despite it being a city, the streets were narrowed and dirty. The houses were cramped together with only a narrow road separating them. Besides the merchants and ordinary civilians, there will be a fiddler in some corner of the street: trying to earn his keep by playing pleasing tunes to his audience. In the dark alleys of the city awaits thugs or pickpockets, looking for victims to prey on for their trivial earnings. Once a while there was a clip-clop from a horse: pulling a wagon of materials or carrying patrolling police officers.

In one of the buildings, although it was quite old: it was beautifully maintained with good wood and fresh paint. Inside the house were antique furniture and the floors were littered with children's toys and crude drawings. The lower floors were filled with voices of children, laughing or talking to themselves while playing with what toys were still in one piece. On the top most floor was a room with a desk, bookshelves, medical instruments, an armchair and a couch.

Lying on the couch was a young woman with short, brunette hair, green eyes and pale white skin and standing there, leaning against the desk was a tall man with brown hair and beard and wearing glasses. He was wearing a green jacket with a pocket watch and he was taking notes with a quill when the girl woke up. The man looked at her and asked gently.

'Did you manage to forget your past, Alice?'

Alice Liddell rubbed her eyes and shook her head. 'I saw Wonderland again. And it's… Worse than before.'

The man just nodded and continues on taking notes as Alice stared forward, trying to make sense of her memory.

Meanwhile somewhere in outer space, a Gummi ship was floating in the dark void: passing through stars and worlds. Piloting this Gummi ship was a 20 years old boy with spiky brown hair, blue eyes and a smile on his face. Between him was a white duck in blue wizard armour and a dog wearing green armour. As usual, Sora, Donald and Goofy were patrolling the space: seeking out worlds that are plagued by Heartless. So far, most of the worlds they past through were peaceful.

'It's sure quiet around here, right guys?' Sora asked as he swerved the ship to the left.

'A-hyuk!' Goody agreed. 'And we managed to stop by just in time for Aladdin and Jasmine's wedding! They looked so cute together! Oh, and the feast was scrumptious!'

'It was a good thing that Kairi gave you her home-made cheery jam for the trip.' Donald said. 'It's make a good wedding gift.'

'Fancy that they don't have jams in the middle east!' Sora mused as he increased paced. 'Kairi is amazing!' Just then, a world appeared before them. 'Hey Donald, what world is that?'

Donald checked the scanners and quacked. 'It's Wonderland and it's doing fine. Not a Heartless in sight.'

'Gosh!' Goofy joined in. 'I wonder how Alice doing? What do you think Sora?' Strangely, Goofy did not get a straight answer from Sora. 'Sora?'

Hiding his face from his friends, Sora thought back when a great family tragedy changed Alice forever and made her more cold and indifferent. He also thought back about the feelings they had for each other and how she begged him to stay. Does she still have feelings for him? If so…

'Sora!' Donald quacked loudly, causing Sora to jump on his chair. 'What's wrong?'

Sora quickly shook his head. He is married to Kairi now. Feelings or no feelings, he and Alice are only friends. 'Donald, it's been one year already right?'

Donald nodded. 'Yes it has been.'

Sora made up his mind and he pulled down the lever. 'I say we visit Wonderland and see how Alice is doing. I did promised her I visit her.'

'I hope we get to have a tea parties like we use to have back in Wonderland!' Goofy said cheerfully.

Donald, however, was frowning at Sora's decision. 'Sora… I hope that's your only reason you want to visit her and nothing more.'

Sora squirmed at Donald's indirect accusation. 'Of course, there's nothing going on between us and you know that.'

Sora pulled down another lever and the Gummi ship sped towards Wonderland.

Sora landed the Gummi ship on an empty space deep inside a brown and yellow forest, indicating it was autumn. Sora turned off the engine and he, Donald and Goofy stepped out of the Gummi ship. When they did, they were amazed at the beauty of Wonderland. The sky was bright blue with white clouds and floating dominoes. The forest was enchanted with fall's beauty and there were exotic plants sprouting out from the ground. The group noticed that they were in front of a statue of crying Alive: the Vale of Tears. Despite it melancholy name, the water flowing out from Alice's eyes were crystal blue with brown leaves floating like boats down the waterfall that looks quite a height from where they are standing. Small creatures like butterflies and flying cows hovered above them as if welcoming the new arrivals.

Goofy breathe in deeply and exhaled with content. Donald twirled around to take in as much as possible while Sora smiled with relief.

'Looks like Wonderland is the way it's use to be.'

'It's always a relief to find yourself somewhere familiar. It's good to see you again, Sora, Donald and Goofy.'

Recognising that voice, Sora turned and smiled at Alice.

'Alice.'

'Sora.' Alice smiled back and ran into him. Sora held up his arms and they embraced tightly. Alice wrapped her hands around Sora's neck and Sora wrapped his around her waist. They broke the embrace and Sora took a good look at Alice. She has grown taller the last time they met. Her hair was still long, straight and dark and her eyes were green with dark lashes. Her cheeks were less shrunken and her white apron has three mysterious symbols on them. To Sora however, she was the same Alice he knew.

'You changed a lot.' That was all Sora could say.

Alice smiled. 'You grown taller yourself too.'

They looked deeply into each other eyes for a long time until they were interrupted by a cryptic voice.

'Gazing the depths of one soul can be tiresome.'

The Cheshire cat appeared before them: still mangy and wearing that grins of his.

'Hey Cheshire cat', Goofy greeted him. 'Looks like someone been feeding you.'

The Cheshire cat purred. 'It's about time you lot come back, especially you Alice.'

Alice broke the embrace with Sora and scowled. 'Blasted cat! Don't try to bully me! I am very much on edge!'

The Cheshire cat's grin widened. 'Purrfect… When you are not on edge, you're taking up space.'

'You're no help at all!' Alice fumed.

The Cheshire cat just purred, 'But you know I can be.'

'I'll frighten myself when necessary, thank you very much.' Alice answered curtly. 'I was hoping to escape from all that.'

'Abandon that hope.' The Cheshire cat told her. 'A new law reigns in this Wonderland, Alice. It's very rough justice around. We're at risk here. You… Be on your guard.'

'We're at risk?' Sora now joined in. 'But I don't see anything that pose as danger.'

The Cheshire cat flashed a grin at Sora. 'Don't judge a book by it's cover. Looks can be deceiving.'

With that, he disappeared. Sora shook his head, 'He's still the same as ever.'

Alice rolled her eyes. 'That part hasn't changed.' Then she looked troubled. 'Sora, there might be some truth in what he said. I keep having… Visions that Wonderland is corrupted again.'

Sora was taken aback. Donald and Goofy joined in the conversation. 'Is it the Red Queen again?'

Alice shook her head. 'No. This… Evil presence is something… I don't recognise… But I hope I am wrong.'

Goofy looked deeper into the forest. 'Shall we explore more?'

Alice sighed, 'I suppose so. That cat probably trying to tell me something.'

Alice took the lead with Sora walking besides her and Donald and Goofy taking the rear. They had been walking for some time when Alice broke the silence.

'I thought you never come back.'

Sora, surprised at that statement, replied quickly, 'I promised that I will come back and visit, didn't I? Sorry it took so long.'

Alice nodded and asked, 'How are things with you and… Kairi?'

Sora beamed. 'It's great. We have been hanging out more often and Kairi is definitely someone you want to hang around. We even got married just a few months ago…' He stopped when he noticed that Alice stopped suddenly. Alice was looking down at her feet, her long hair hiding her face. Feeling uncomfortable, Sora turned to Donald and Goofy whose faces were saying, "She's going to kill you".

Sora gulped as he could have sworn that there was a maniacal smile on Alice face but it disappeared as she said, 'I see… I am happy for the both of you.'

With that, she walked on briskly, without waiting for him or for Donald and Goofy. Sore watched her go and he turned to his friends for advice. Goofy could only look at him with sympathy as Donald shook his head, as if saying 'It's better that she knows about it'.

Sighing, Sora, Donald and Goofy jogged faster to catch up with Alice. They walked in silence for quite a while until they approached a river that was red in colour.

'What the…?' Alice said and she quickly sprinted up river, Sora, Donald and Goofy hurrying up with her. There, they saw a small island splitting the river. On the island was a skeleton of a winged reptile and impaled into its bones was a kitchen knife.

'Isn't that the skeleton of the Jabberwock?' Sora asked in amazement. 'And sticking out of it…'

'The Vorpal Blade.' Alice confirmed with him. She strode forward and the Cheshire cat appeared between her and the skeleton.

'The Vorpal Blade is swift and keen and always ready for service.' He purred.

As soon as he was finished speaking, the Vorpal Blade pulled itself from the bones and floated up towards Alice. Alice grasped it and run her fingers on the side of the blade: admiring it.

'I've not come back here looking for a fight.' She told the Cheshire cat.

'Really?' the Cheshire cat grinned. 'That's a pity. One's certainly looking for you.'

He disappeared again and Goofy looked forlorn. 'And I thought we just came here for tea and pastries.'

'It's look likes everywhere we go', Donald said. 'We always get into a fight.'

'True.' Sora grinned and turned to Alice. 'So it will be like good old times, right Alice?'

Alice looked at him, frowning. Sora flinched at her stare. Then she shrugged, 'I suppose. I could do with the whole teamwork again.'

It did not sound as enthusiastic as he had hoped but at least it was better than refusal. 'Yeah, we got your back all the way right guys?'

'Absolutely!' Donald said, hefting his wand.

'A-hyuk.' Goofy announced as he pulled out his shield. 'So… Who are we fighting again?'

'I'm not too sure exactly…' Alice admitted as she continued on. Then she stopped as she noticed something on the ground. 'What's is this?'

Sora joined her and saw that she was indicating to strange black substances on the ground. 'It's look like… ink.'

Just then, the black substance started bubbling. The group stepped back as the substance bubbled into a big, black blob. It was wearing a white mask of a child and attached to it were pipes that you find on machines. It blubbered as it raised its arms for attack. Behind it, more were coming out from the ground.

'What are those things?' Donald quacked.

'No idea!' Alice said as she readied the Vorpal Blade. 'I say we fight otherwise we end up dead.'

'Agreed!' Sora said and charged with Kingdom Key held high. He swung his key-blade at two of those blobs and halved them with one blow. Alice stabbed and sliced with Vorpal Blade as if she was dancing, felling many of the blobs. Donald set three of the blobs on fire and Goofy finished the job with a good smash from his shield. Soon, the area was cleared off enemies and the group relaxed a bit.

'That was easy.' Sora grinned. 'Looks like you know how to wield that knife of yours.'

For the first time telling her that he was married to Kairi, Alice gave a fierce grin back. 'Yeah, glad I still had it.'

'Hey guys!' Goofy acclaimed. 'Look!'

He was pointing at a house at the end of the path. Puzzled that a building was here so deep in the forest, Alice, Sora, Donald and Goofy approached it warily. They opened the door and entered: only to wish they had not. Inside the house was only a kitchen painted in strips of pale pink and brown and the floors tiles in blue and white mosaic. There was a table with all sorts of ingredients on top and knives hanging about everywhere on the wall. There was a stove and stirring a giant pot was a giantess wearing a green dress and a light green chef's hat.

Donald and Goofy were trying to push Sora and Alice out of the house when the Duchess noticed them. 'Ah, it's you again, darlings. You may approach.'

Not trusting the woman, they slowly approached her: keeping a distance. Alice asked, 'Why would we do that? You wanted to eat us!'

The Duchess demurred, 'Yes, well you taught me manners and I lost my appetite for mad women.' She glanced at Sora. 'Same goes with boys who swing key-blades around: strictly a porcine diet for me. Although', she looked at Donald and Goofy. 'I always wanted to try duck stew with fungus and dog and porcupine pie.'

'Quack!' Donald hid behind Goofy who just scratched behind his ears.

'Didn't you want to turn us into roast duck stuffed with pig intestines and dog kebab glazed with blood of raccoon?'

'Goofy!' Donald quacked out loud.

The Duchess waved dismissively. 'Had to give up on that. Couldn't find any raccoons. Anyway, everything is better with bacon don't you agree? Of course you do. Now, there are pig snouts scattered about. I heard some at the back; go fetch them for me. Pepper them up. They need spice and you're the dishes… I mean people to do it.'

Alice crossed her arms. 'And why should we help you?'

The Duchess continued her stirring. 'For one, I won't eat you. And you can keep my pepper grinder. It's really spice things up.'

Alice looked at Sora who shrugged. Alice gave in and took the pepper grinder from the table and headed out. As soon as they were out, they could here oinks in the air. They looked up and saw pig snouts with wings fluttering all over the place. Alice aimed the pepper grinder at the snouts and turned the grinder: firing pepper like a machine gun. A dozen or so snouts became agitated and soon, they were sneezing loudly. They fell down onto the ground and made no resistance as Sora, Donald and Goofy picked them up.

'Think that's enough?' Sora asked.

'Guess so.' Alice said. 'She's getting too fat anyway.'

They all laughed and carried the snouts back to the Duchess. The Duchess was licking her lips as they put the snouts on the table. 'Thank you so much for the snouts, dearies. Now go away before I changed my mind.'

They hurried out of the house as quickly as they can.

'What an obnoxious woman!' Alice said.

'It was a good thing that she didn't want to turn us into dishes when she had a chance.' Goofy panted.

Sora and Donald nodded as the group continued on their path. Sora judged the right moment before asking Alice, 'How are things with you in the… real world?'

Alice looked at him and answered, 'Not too bad. I recover most of my sanity and I am living with a psychiatrist called Doctor Angus Bumby. He uses hypnotism to make his patients forget about their past. So far… It's not working. I keep getting hallucinations of Wonderland.'

'Is that so bad?' Sora asked.

Alice nodded. 'It's painful and tearing me apart. I want to have my normal life back again.'

'But what about Wonderland?' Sora asked. 'What about the Cheshire cat, Caterpillar and the others?'

Alice cringed and turned away from Sora. 'I… Don't know.'

Before Sora could say anymore, Goofy pointed to something. 'Hey guys, look!'

The group came upon an end of train tracks that lead through a tunnel. Alice kneeled to inspect it and frowned. 'Odd, never seen this before.'

'Do you think that these train tracks will lead to whatever causing Wonderland to fall apart again?' Sora asked.

'Only one way to find out.' Alice said and strode towards the tunnel. As the group ventured deeper, the tunnels became more cold and dark. Soon, there was a light at the end of the tunnel and after exiting, they found themselves in a barren wasteland with giant broken teapots sticking out of the ground.

'Well Goofy', Donald said. 'Looks like we're having tea.'

'Oh goody!' Goofy clapped his hands. Out of nowhere, a giant fork impaled in front of them and small figures came out from the teapots. The creatures skin were sickly green with yellow eyes and gears sticking out from their back. They were armoured with jagged tea glasses and armed with either a giant spoon or fork. They came menacingly towards the group.

'Madcap!' Alice hissed as she took out the Pepper Grinder and started turning. The pepper knocked the forks and spoons off the Madcaps' hands, making them defenceless when Goofy's shield flew and slammed into them. Alice stopped turning and smiled at the Pepper Grinder.

'It does spice things up.'

'Maybe this is the Duchess way of apologizing for trying to eat us before.' Sora said.

'It's better be.' Alice said as she switched back to the Vorpal Blade. She pushed Sora aside and slammed her knife into a Madcap's head. The creature gurgled blood and fell on the dusty floor. Behind her, a Madcap jumped from one of the teapots and directed its fork towards her back: only to be sliced by Sora. Donald electrocuted many of the Madcaps while Goofy had a battle of shields with one of the creature before knocking it unconscious. The remaining Madcaps scurried back from whatever hole they came from, fearing their demise from the group.

'That's that.' Sora said.

'You know', Goofy said as he looked at the bodies of the Madcaps. 'These little guys reminded me of someone…'

'I agree with you, Goofy.' Alice said. 'And seeing these creatures here, I suspect we going to meet him soon.'

'What on earth is that?' Donald asked as he and the others stood on the edge of a cliff.

After passing more broken teapots, the group reached a black cable-line station. Opposite to it was a giant black castle that was floating in mid-air with many dark towers shaped like teapots and giant gears sticking out of it.

Sora turned to Alice. 'What is that building?'

'Have you forgotten?' Alice asked him. 'We been there before with four old friends of mine. Three of them always in a tea party.'

Sora made two and two together and said, 'The Mad Hatter's Domain?'

'Yes. It seems we're going to see him again. It's almost as I remember it.'

'Like I said before, appearances, as you know better than most, can be deceiving.' The Cheshire cat appeared in front of a horn before them. 'Much has changed since you last visit.'

'Dr Bumby says change is constructive.' Alice countered. 'Different is good.'

'Different denotes neither bad or good, but it certainly mean "not the same".' The Cheshire cat said. 'Find the Hatter, Alice. He knows more about different than you.'

'But does he know more about the difference between bad and good?' Alice asked.

The Cheshire cat purred. 'That is for you to decide.' He grinned as he disappeared again.

Goofy approached the horn and gave it a loud blow. Soon, a teapot shaped cable car came and the door opened. The group quickly entered it and the cable car was soon on its way to Hatter Domain. They passed through flying gears in a calm and serene night filled with stars: the citadel ruining the peaceful moment. The cable car brought them into the citadel and the group stepped out of the contraption.

Sora looked at Alice and was amazed. 'Alice, your dress!'

Alice looked down to see what Sora was so excited about. Her blue dress and white apron transformed into a black dress with white neck-frill like collar, a black waist cipher with a harness attached and black leather buckled fingerless gloves. On her back was a clock with two metallic wings and leather straps. Her apron was also made out of leather and also black.

'What do you know?' Alice mused. 'A new outfit; what do you think?'

Sora looked at it long and hard. 'It does matched your hair.'

Alice smiled.

'And her mood.' Donald whispered to Goofy who giggled. Unfortunately it was too loud because Alice whirled on them, a glare coming out from her eyes.

'Anything you boys want to say?'

Donald and Goofy quickly shook their head as Alice and Sora walked deeper into the citadel. They passed through many of Hatter's workshops, gruesome and gory from his past victims' corpses. Despite defeating the Mad Hatter, everything was running smoothly. The machineries were working and the gears were gliding smoothly against each other.

'I can't believe he's still alive.' Sora whispered.

'Yeah!' Donald agreed. 'Especially after blowing him up into smithereens.'

Alice frowned. 'I don't think so. If he was alive, he should be greeting us right now.'

Before they can continue on, Alice fell to her knees: screaming and clutching her head as if she was in pain. Before anyone of them could respond, they were suddenly surround by fire: the flames reaching over them. Donald pointed his wand and cast a water spell to dose the flames. Strangely, the spell did nothing to stop the flames nor were the flames burning them.

'What's going on?' Donald panicked.

Sora calmly looked around and saw that Alice stopped screaming. 'I think… I think we're in Alice's memory.'

The flames slowly turned into a library furnished with expensive paintings and antique furniture. The bookshelves were filled with rare and priceless books and tomes of foreign language. The floor was covered with a Persian carpet. There was an old camera, a table with fine china and two armchairs. At first the library was dark when suddenly the fireplace lit up by itself: giving light to the entire room.

'Our lovely library was a fire trap.' Alice suddenly spoke. 'A conflagration waiting to happen!'

The memory disappeared and they were back in Hatter Domain: Alice was still on her knees. Sora and Goofy helped on her feet.

'Are you okay?' Donald asked.

Alice nodded and rubbed her head. 'I'm fine.'

Sora dared ask the question. 'Was that how your house was burned down?'

Alice frowned and slowly shook her head. 'No, it wasn't as simple as that.' Then she started pondering. 'Maybe that's why I was brought back to Wonderland: not only to save Wonderland but to find out what really happened on the day I lost my family in the fire.'

'Then the sooner we find the Hatter the sooner we find out what really happened.' Sora said supportively.

Alice nodded. 'Right.'

The group continued on until they walked into a large empty hall with a glass window as a ceiling. There two lifts going up somewhere and at the back of the hall, the wall was broken: revealing gears that were running smoothly. As the group ventured deeper, they stumbled upon a head and a body leaning against the wall. The body was without arms or legs and it was dressed in white wool clothing with a metal gear sticking out of the back. The head was green in colour with a large nostril, a few crooked teeth and yellow pupils in the eyes: similar to the Madcaps they encountered earlier. Oddly, the head was still breathing and muttering to itself: indicating it was alive.

Alice, Sora, Donald and Goofy finally found the Mad Hatter, or what left of him


	2. Tea Anyone?

Sora, Donald, Goofy and Alice walked towards the head and torso of the Mad Hatter: wary. The Mad Hatter, still not noticing the group approaching him, continued to mutter and rabble on. Alice gently picked him up.

'Hatter', Alice began. 'I recall leaving you in a decrepit condition, but not in pieces.'

'Yeah.' Sora joined in. 'Your body was still there when your head exploded.'

The Mad Hatter snapped from his rabbling as he was picked up. 'What? What? Oh… It's you…'

'What happened here?' Alice asked. 'You lost your hat, and some… Parts are missing.'

'So that's what different about him!' Goofy exclaimed. 'I thought it was the hair.'

Donald face palmed as the Mad Hatter spoke. 'Missing indeed. Though, things being what they are… I barely miss their missing. As to what happened, you should know better than I! It's your place, after all. I know my place.'

Alice placed his head back into his mechanical torso and asked curtly. 'When did you know your place or how to keep it? Now, what's going on?'

Without warning, there was a mechanical roar from above. Sora looked around and up the ceiling.

'I think that's answer our question.'

Goofy pricked his ears. 'Sounds like a train.'

'Papa was exceedingly fond of trains.' Alice mused. 'I don't like them much,'

'You won't like this one at all.' The Mad Hatter chimed. 'It's nothing like when Mock Turtle was in charge of the Looking Glass Line.'

'The what?' Donald asked.

The Mad Hatter and Alice ignored him. 'This railroad is a bloody shambles. The stink is ferocious; the light, binding; the noise…'

Alice interrupted. 'Ah, quite, Hatter, I get the idea: a bad train.'

'The world is left upside down, Alice.' The Mad Hatter choked sadly as a mechanical arm pulled him into the air. 'Inmates run the asylum, no offense. And worse, I'm left tea-less.'

Goofy nodded sympathetically. 'Everybody needs tea once in a while.'

'In the Mad Hatter's case, he needs it in every hour.' Donald whispered.

Alice just answered impassively. 'Tragic. If I do help, will you help me in return?'

'Cross my heart, if I had one!' the Hatter immediately said. 'Find my limbs and tossed them in the chute. The machines will do the rest. Be on your way now. That's a good girl. Best way out is through the Clock Face.'

Alice nodded and walked away to where they came from. Sora, Donald and Goofy followed after her. Sora walked next to Alice and asked, 'Are you sure we can trust him?'

Alice shrugged. 'He's the only one who can help us and may know more about this train he been babbling about. The more we know about this train then we know who we're dealing with and I get a chance to find out what really happened during that fire.'

Sora nodded and frowned. 'What did he meant my inmates? I know that this place was like the asylum in your real world but besides you and those children, who else lives here?'

'I can think of two.' Alice answered. 'And they have more reason to use the Mad Hatter's limbs than anybody else.'

'Why?' Sora asked. Alice looked at him.

'Revenge. That's what happened when you turn two of your friends into experiments.'

'I never thought that both Hare and Dormouse would do such a thing.' Donald commented when the group reached two tunnels. It was not difficult to figure it out that Hare and Dormouse, friends and experiments of the Mad Hatter, were now running the Mad Hatter's Domain: the possibility that both creatures possessed the Mad Hatter's limbs.

Alice shrugged. 'Madness makes people do strange things.'

'Like you?' Goofy inputted. Sora and Donald froze when Goofy said that, awaiting Alice's wrath.

Alice, however, just nodded. 'Like me.' She studied both passages. 'I think it's a good idea if we split up into groups. That way, we save time.'

'Right.' Sora agreed. 'Alice and I will handle Hare while Donald and Goofy will take care of Dormouse.'

'Righto! A-hyuk!' Goofy was about to walk into the right passage when he was stopped by Donald. He then walked past Alice and pushed Sora to the left passage.

'If you don't mind.' Donald explained as he pushed Sora deeper into the left passage. 'I'll go with Sora while you go with Goofy.'

Alice blinked her eyes. 'Of… Course. Come on Goofy.'

Goofy allowed Alice to walk past him and he followed behind her. Once Donald was sure that Alice and Goofy were out of hearing range, he stopped pushing Sora and Sora turned around to face him.

'What's up Donald?' Sora asked, puzzled.

Donald folded his hands over his chest. 'I'll tell you what's up. You have a beautiful wife waiting faithfully and loyally back on Destiny Island while you're here reconnecting your feelings with Alice. If Kairi knows about this, this will break her heart.'

Sora took a step back, a guilty look on his face. 'Donald! It's… It's nothing like that! I swear! You know full well I love Kairi! I will never betray her! Alice and I are just friends! Nothing more!'

Donald held up his hands to stop Sora and said, 'It's not you I'm worried about, it her.' At Sora's frown, he continued. 'I know you're loyal and love Kairi but Alice is a different matter. She might want to keep you here in Wonderland for herself, by force if she needs to.'

Sora looked at Donald as if bananas started popping out of his beak. 'That's crazy talk Donald! Alice would never do such a thing! You know her as well as I do!'

'If this was the Alice eleven years ago, I agree with you.' Donald agreed. 'But think about it: Alice lost her family in a fire and it drove her mad. She was a psychopathic lunatic until we came along. Actually, it was you who save her from madness that time. I'm not saying this in a bad way but you were the one who gave her hope, her sense of belonging and her sanity. You were there when she needed someone to be close to her: the only human boy there for her. So I believe you when you said you have no feelings for Alice but she may have feelings for you: and those feelings maybe more than friendship. The fact that you're already married to Kairi doesn't change anything to her.'

Sora was about to defend Alice but stopped himself, as Donald's words were truth. He just stood there, not knowing how to respond to Donald's analysis. Donald continued.

'All I'm just saying is that don't raise Alice's hope for a romantic relationship between the two of you and don't promise anything that might spark it. Just remain as friends.'

Sora slowly nodded. 'You're right Donald. I'll keep your words in mind.'

Donald nodded, satisfied. 'Now let's get those limbs back.'

Sora nodded. 'Right.'

Sora and Donald continued on, not exchanging any words: the sounds of their breathing and machineries can only be heard. As they walked deeper towards Hare, Sora was thinking about himself and Alice. Sure he may, may, have some feelings with Alice but none of them were romantic. In his heart, Alice was a kind, gentle, strong-minded and caring girl he ever met: if cold and sarcastic at times. However, in his heart of hearts, he loved Kairi when she first came to Destiny Island: going as far as searching for her in Hollow Bastion and when she was kidnapped by Organization 13. Kairi was nice, kind, caring, gentle, strong-minded and brave. She and Alice shared the same personalities. It was no wonder Sora was…

'Sora!' Donald quacked, snapping Sora from his thoughts.

Sora jumped slightly and looked at Donald. 'What is it?'

Donald gestured forward and Sora noticed that the room they were about to enter was pitch black. Bravely, he and Donald stepped into the room and continued walking forward. They were not far from the door they came in when it suddenly shut behind them and the lights came on, the room being one of the engine rooms. Sora quickly summoned Kingdom-Key and Donald summoned out his wand as giant robots with mechanical heads surrounded them with light bulbs sticking out from them and rustic-brown in colour. They were towering over Sora and Donald with out-stretched claws. Despite their situation, Sora and Donald looked up and saw a giant hamster-wheel being moved by a pair of legs: running at a moderate speed. Besides it was a tower with levers and gears moving. On that tower was a brown figure with long ears, yellow eyes with one covered by a magnifying glass, and with a mechanical left arm and legs attached to him. He wore a red coat over a white shirt with a black bow tie and he held a curved golden blade.

'Your dogged persistence will be rewarded with pain!' Hare spoke in a dangerous voice. 'I told you to cease and desist and my warning goes unheeded! So, without regret, you're about to feel like a lobster who's been tossed into the boiling pot!' He pointed his blade at them and screamed, 'ATTACK!'

The robots charged at Sora and Donald, clumsily and slowly. Unimpressed, Donald and Sora looked at each other: amused.

'These are the enemies?' Sora asked and took a step on the left when one of the robots slammed one of its claws at a sluggish speed.

'Looks like Hare and Dormouse are not that great an inventor as the Mad Hatter.' Donald said as he ducked a grab by one of the robots.

'Donald.' Sora said as he blocked an attack bb another robot and pushed it back, causing the robot to fall on its back. 'Care to do the honour?'

Donald sighed as he sidestepped another robot. 'I suppose so.' He raised his wand into the air. 'Thundaga.' He spoke in a lazy voice. Lightning bolts shot from his wand and hit all the robots within reach. They all shuddered, electricity sparkling out from their bodies and making them jittery. Some of their light bulbs burst with overpower and one by one: all the robots exploded, leaving only the legs that were burned.

Hare was literally jumping in rage. 'No! My creations! My beautiful creations!' Hare turned to the running legs of the Mad Hatter. 'Argh, stop your running, you blithering idiot!'

The legs only ran faster, making the wheel spun faster and steams coming out from the gears. The engine room shook with mechanical sounds and a few gears falling onto the floor and pipes bursting. The room quiet down and the legs stopped running. Hare furiously turned to Sora and Donald.

'You think that can stop us? A mere trifle! I'll be leaving now!' The platform that Hare was standing on lifted and carried Hare to the upper floors. 'You'll never catch me! Don't even try!'

Hare left the room and the wheel that Mad Hatter's legs were running on collapse onto the floor. Sora and Donald quickly ran towards it and pulled the legs from the wreckage: no damage was done to it.

'That's done!' Donald said gleefully. 'I can't believe that was easy!'

'Yeah!' Sora grinned as he carried the legs. 'Now to get this legs back to the Mad Hatter.'

'Look!' Donald pointed at a hole being opened on the platform. Sora carried the legs to the hole and dropped the legs into it before the hole closed up. Satisfied, Sora and Donald retraced their steps and walked back to find the Mad Hatter.

'I wonder how Alice and Goofy are doing?' Sora asked.

Donald shrugged. 'They're probably having a good time like us. After all, this is Dormouse we're talking about.

'This is Dormouse we're talking about!' Alice screamed as she hid behind Goofy. 'Why are we struggling against him?'

Goofy had his shield raised up, deflecting projectiles flying at them. In front of them was a machine with no specific markings except for two arms that wore green and yellow pinstriped sleeves and white gloves: picking up objects and throwing at Goofy and Alice. Between them was a river of lava.

Above the machine was another tower with a creature that resembled a mouse wearing a sleeveless coat and instead of legs; wheels were attached to his body. Dormouse was speaking throughout the commotion his machine was making.

'Your presence here is unwelcome. We have a mission to complete and you're an intolerable annoyance! Be crush!'

The machine, with the Mad Hatter's arms attached to it, continued throwing projectiles at Alice and Goofy, either bouncing off Goofy's shield or landing closed to them.

'Seriously', Alice muttered. 'How did Dormouse managed to build something like that?'

'Maybe he's been eating brain food.' Goofy suggested as he blocked another projectile.

Alice eyed him quizzically. 'I doubt cheese is counted as "brain food" Goofy.' She peeked from Goofy's shield. 'Blast! If only we are close enough then I can use the Pepper Grinder on him. What about you, Goofy?'

'I can throw my shield at him but if I do that, we be squashed by those things.' Goofy grunted as another projectile hit his shield. 'Not too sure how much longer I can hold on!'

Alice looked around and her eyes spotted something. 'Hello? What do we have here?' Alice picked it up and inspected it. It was an umbrella in the colour of black and the wood polished until it shines. There was a hook at the end of it. 'Who would leave a beautiful umbrella in a place like this?'

'Maybe they forgot it?' Goofy asked.

'Maybe…' Alice murmured and tested it: it was quite strong. Alice looked at Dormouse's machine. 'Maybe not!'

Before Goofy could stop her, Alice stepped out from his protection just as a flying flaming rock flew towards her. Alice raised the umbrella and opened it. To Goofy and Alice's surprise, the projectile hit the umbrella but instead of crushing Alice, it flew back at the machine. The flaming rock hit the machine, causing it to stop throwing objects at Alice and Goofy and the Mad Hatter's arms went limp. Without warning, it exploded. The explosion caused some rubble to land into the lava river: creating a bridge for Alice and Goofy.

Alice looked at the umbrella fondly. 'I think I will keep this.'

Dormouse tried to act brave. 'A temporary setback! A minor hindrance! A trivial impediment!' he squeaked. 'I'll just move along! I'll deal with you later! You'll never stop our grand plan!'

The platform lifted Dormouse higher until he disappeared from the room while Alice and Goofy crossed the lava river. They rummaged through the rubble until they found the Mad Hatter's arms. Making sure that no damages was done on the arms; Alice and Goofy found the chute and dropped the arms into it. The chute closed and Alice and Goofy walked out of the hall.

'Now let's find Sora and Donald.' Alice said.

Sora and Donald were in the same room where they found the Mad Hatter when Alice and Goofy joined them. Sora face split into a grin and he stood up to greet her but remembering Donald's words, he stopped himself: unsure how to act. Alice, noticing Sora's reluctance, frowned and started first.

'Seeing you here means that Hare was no problem for you and Donald.'

Sora, glad that Alice started the conversation, immediately took it up. 'Yeah! Hare had all these robots but they're completely useless. What about you?'

Alice shrugged. 'Not too bad, found a new weapon.' She showed Sora the umbrella. Sora looked at it, sceptical.

'An umbrella?'

Alice smiled. 'Not just any umbrella, it's… Never mind, I'll show it to you when we fight again.'

As they were speaking, mechanical arms reattached the Mad Hatter's arms and legs into the torso. Lastly, one of the arms placed a massive black and white top hat on top of the Mad Hatter's head and gave it a pat before pulling away.

Alice turned to face the Mad Hatter. 'I've finished my work and you're complete, Hatter. Now, what about this "damnable" train?'

'And is it possible we can get some tea?' Goofy asked randomly.

The Mad Hatter dropped to the ground and looked at his hands. 'I feel like a new man, or whatever I am. I feel like an unstrung spring; like an un-corroded gear; like an untarnished bit of metal that sticks into your eye!'

'We get it already!' Sora said impatiently. 'Just answer our question. We did help you get your limbs back!'

'Yeah!' Donald agreed.

'Things have change, Hatter.' Alice continued. 'What the rules now?'

A staff with a teapot on top of it dropped out from nowhere into the Mad Hatter's arms. He looked at it and twirled it around in circles. 'The law is just… Just a whisper away… A way home to wonder… Wonder who… Who knows how to measure rules? With a ruler! Cruel rules…'

Tired of the Mad Hatter's rambling, Alice fumed. 'Idiot! I should have left you in bits. Come! The least you can do is help me discover what's going on.'

The Mad Hatter grinned and grabbed all of them in a hug before leaping into the air. The glass window above them shattered into million of pieces as the Mad Hatter landed on his feat. He dropped them onto the ground and squatted before them.

'Climb aboard. Let's get going now!'

Alice and Sora quickly climbed onto his back, Alice holding onto the Mad Hatter's left shoulder while Sora held onto the right. Donald and Goofy firmly held onto the Mad Hatter's gear that was sticking out from his back.

'You could had given us a warning.' That was all Donald could say before the Mad Hatter ran and leaped into the air again; falling through the air before landing heavily on another gear that led into another part of the citadel. The Mad Hatter ran through his domain, passing moving gears: on the ground or in the air. They passed through engine rooms that were still operating. All of the sudden, they heard that mechanical sound that they heard earlier.

'We must be getting close!' Sora exclaimed as they were outside of the citadel. They were just on time to see something massive riding on railroads. Like the Mad Hatter mentioned earlier: it was a train but instead of having the standard structure with a main cabin and carriages, it was a grey building resembling an abbey with a chimney blowing black smokes. The inside of the building was burning. It made such a hellish sound as it pass through the group.

Sora climbed down from the Mad Hatter's back and helped Alice down. 'Looks like we missed the train.'

Alice nodded distracted. 'We've found the source of the shaking. But are those two quaking? What are they up too?'

Donald looked at Alice. 'You mean Hare and Dormouse.'

Just on cue, Dormouse's voice was heard. 'You never stop us silly Hatter, Alice, Sora, Donald and Goofy! It's left! You're too late! Hohohooo!'

The Mad Hatter started ranting again. 'The insolence, the arrogance, the execrable table manners! They are destroyer of Wonderland! Defilers, denuders, derangers… Delightful… '

As the Mad Hatter continued rambling on, Sora turned to Alice. 'Could this train be the one causing Wonderland's destruction?'

'Looks like it…' Alice answered. 'Or they could be someone else pulling the strings.'

The Mad Hatter dismissed them. 'What does that matter? They deserve to die!' Suddenly, a hook hooked the Mad Hatter and carried him away. 'Aargh! Put me down this instant! I ought to…'

The hook carried the shouting Mad Hatter away as Dormouse's voice spoke again. 'Enough talk! Battle time!'

Chains moved and they were pulling up a giant machinery to face them. At the head of that machinery were Dormouse and Hare.

'Abandoned false hope!' the Dormouse shrieked. 'Forget the past! The damage is done! Hohohooo!'

'Let the madness begin!' Hare spoke. 'Resume the folly!'

A giant robot came in view with a giant left fist and a golden drill attached to it right arm. The group readied their weapons, ready to fight.

'This is for real!' Sora said as he raised Kingdom Key. 'Stay sharp!'

Donald, however, just idly turned to Goofy. 'Hey Goofy, ten munny if Hare and Dormouse robot just fall apart?'

Goofy looked at Donald as if he lost his pants. 'Erm… Are you sure about that, Donald?'

The giant robot raised its golden drill, ready to strike. Alice, Sora, Donald and Goofy got ready to anticipate its move. The robot moves closer and raised it iron fist into the air: only for it to fall limp and its arms slumped downward. Sparks flew from the body as parts of the robot started to fall apart. The body bent forward and spat out Hare and Dormouse: who laid on the platform and moaning terribly.

Donald looked at Goofy, eyebrow raised. Goofy's shoulders slumped and he dug into his pockets for some munny. The robot fell into the water beneath the domain and the Mad Hatter was freed and dropped onto the platform between Hare and Dormouse. The Mad Hatter looked around at his citadel and reacted in horror.

'Nooo! My precious domain! And the guests! All I really wanted was another tea party!'

Alice stepped forward. 'Please, Hatter. You promised! Where is that train going? What's its purpose? Tell me, now!'

The Mad Hatter produced a teacup and dismissed Alice. 'There's no time for… Whatever it is you want to talk about! It's time for tea! Talk trains with Turtle, he ran the Looking Glass Line!' He cleared his throat and started splashing tea onto Hare and Dormouse's mouth. 'Come on, you lot! We can still be friends! I've got a fine Darjeeling! Drink! Drink!'

'Enough of that!' Sora shouted, angry for the Mad Hatter lack of assistance. 'We need to help Alice find her memories and that train is stopping it! You got to help us!'

'You promised!' Alice screamed again.

The Mad Hatter turned a scornful eye at them. 'Ask the ones who help them what helped themselves! Whoever that is.'

Some rubble fell on top of the Mad Hatter and the last thing the group heard was his scream and then silence.

'Very pithy.' Alice said. 'He deserved to die. And we're now going to be drown in tea… In ignorance!'

'Tea?' Sora asked and looked down. Indeed, a brown liquid that smells of tea was rising: covering them.

Goofy looked around. 'Erm… I think that too much tea.'

Tea covered them and they were swept away by the brown beverage. Under the tea, Sora tried to open his eyes and looked for Alice but something hit him and he knew no more.


	3. Drowned Sanity

Sora woke up with a start and could not decide whether he was still alive or not after being drowned by tea at the Mad Hatter's Domain. He was surprised that he was lying on an island made of ice and surrounded by the calm and yet ominous sea. It was night with a crescent moon with a sleeping face smoking green smokes granting light with its nightly radiance. Sora stood up and looked around and saw Donald and Goofy on the icy ground: still sleeping. Alice, however, was not around.

'Alice!' Sora cried as he tried to find her. His cries woke up Donald and Goofy who rubbed the sands out of their eyes.

'What a weird dream.' Goofy yawned. 'I dreamt we were swimming in tea with Hatter, Alice, Dormouse and Hare.'

'It wasn't a dream Goofy.' Sora told him as he scanned the area for Alice.

Donald stood up and arched his back. 'Where are we?'

'If I have to make a guess, this must be Tundraful.'

They all whirled at the direction of the voice and saw Alice, back in a her blue dress and white apron, coming out from the rocks and landing in front of Sora. Sora smiled with relief.

'I'm glad you're okay.'

Alice did not return the smile. 'After getting drowned in a foul beverage and freezing to death trying to find my way around, yes, I'm all right.'

Sora's smile fell at Alice's cold demeanour. Donald and Goofy joined them. 'So… What now?'

'Now we find Mock Turtle. Maybe he has some information about this new "train" destroying Wonderland. The question is, where is he?'

'Hey look!' Donald pointed out. They followed his finger and spotted a giant glass bottle. At a closer look, there was a giant ship with two heads of golden griffins sticking at the front. At the side of the ship was a name: HMS Gryphon. Just on the side of the glass bottle was a small crack.

Curious, the party crawled into the crack and dropped next to the ship but as they did, something hit the side of the bottle and caused another crack on the bottle. The party looked at the creature: it was a skeletal shark.

'Shipwreck Sharks.' Alice gasped as another figure appeared from the ship. The creature had a head of a cow but a body of a turtle. It wore a ship captain hat and decorative shoulder pads.

'You lot better come aboard.' The Mock Turtle urgently urged them. 'We're all doom!'

'What?' Alice asked. 'There's no hope then?' The Shipwreck Shark slammed again on the bottle.

'Oh, there's an infinite amount of hope, but none for us!' The Mock Turtle answered. 'Now, get up here!'

Sora helped Alice to climbed onto the ship and climbed in after her, followed by Donald and Goofy. Once they were all on board the ship, the Mock Turtle was shaking his head.

'Confounded beasts!' he cried. 'They're after my ship!'

Sora looked sceptical at the swarming Shipwreck Sharks. 'I'm not too sure how skeleton fish with no arms and can swim in water have any uses for a ship.'

'Maybe you're more to their taste.' Alice suggested.  
'Never!' the Mock Turtle protested. 'We're almost relatives!'

Goofy whispered to Sora. 'How is a half-cow and half-turtle related to sharks?'

'Beats me.' Sora said while Donald shrugged.

'I have an idea!' the Mock Turtle announced. 'We leave this mayhem and go to Carpenter's show. It's better than a gaff. Carpenter promises what we don't take seriously can't harm us!'

Donald scratched his head. 'What?'

As they were talking, the Shipwreck Sharks were slamming vehemently against the bottle: causing the crack to widen. Alice looked up and noticed as well.

'Best dive now, Admiral, or the sharks will have us for lunch.'

'Dive?' Donald asked fearfully.

Sora and Goofy held on to the mast. 'Hang on!'

At a final attack, the giant glass bottle cracked in half and the ship rushed out of the bottle and towards a massive waterfall. Everybody held on to something as the ship came rushing down the waterfall and submerged into the water. Instead of floating back up, the ship stayed in the water like a submarine and Sora, Donald and Goofy were surprised that they could breathe underwater. Donald looked around and groaned.

'Not again…'

Goofy clapped him on his back. 'A-hyuk! Cheered up Donald! At least we're on a ship… Underwater!'

'Don't relax yet guys!' Sora warned. 'We got company.'

A school of Shipwreck Sharks were swarming towards the HMS Gryphon. Sora took hold of a cannon. 'Everybody grabbed a cannon and starts firing! Admiral, get us out of here!'

'Aye-aye!' the Mock Turtle saluted and headed towards the steering wheel while Donald, Goofy and Alice readied themselves at the cannons: Donald and Goofy on the right side of the ship and Sora and Alice on the left. The HMS Gryphon sped off with the Shipwreck Sharks at its tail. Alice loaded the cannon and Sora lighted the fuse with Firaga: firing the cannon and blasting a Shipwreck Shark. Donald and Goofy did the same thing at their side and together; the party were holding the Shipwreck Sharks at bay.

Then suddenly, the ship started swerving left and right violently: almost knocking the crew off their feet. Alice was about to fall but Sora caught her and held her to her feet. Alice looked at Sora, nodding her thanks as she let go of Sora. She then turned to the Mock Turtle.

'Mock Turtle!' she cried. 'What's going on?'

'Sorry!' the Mock Turtle shouted back. 'I'm trying to avoid those mines or we be blown to pieces! Also, those Cannon Crabs down below are not making this easier! There are some charges below deck! Opened the hatch and blast those crustacean off the sea bed!'

'I'm on it!' Alice shouted and hurried down the cabin. Despite being underwater, Sora, Mock Turtle, Donald and Goofy can hear explosions below the ship. As Alice dealt with the Cannon Crabs, Sora, Donald and Goofy continued fending off the Shipwreck Sharks as Mock Turtle steered the HMS Gryphon through a sea tunnel. Soon, the ship was back in open waters.

'We're going to make it!' Sora cried triumphantly but then, a loud crunch could be heard at the bottom of the ship. Alice came back on deck, looking worried.

'A Shipwreck Shark bit a chunk of the ship!' As soon as she said that, the HMS Gryphon was descending towards the seabed.

'We're going down!' Donald cried. 'Quack!'

'Hang on!' the Mock Turtle shouted as he tried to control the descent of the ship to no avail. The HMS Gryphon crashed sideway on top of a rock pillar and crashed further down the seabed: knocking everybody into darkness.

When Sora woke up again, he was lying in the wreckage of the HMS Gryphon, torn asunder by clashing into the many rocks. Sora slowly got up and saw that both Donald and Goofy were also waking up from the seabed. Sora waddled out of the wreckage and was horrified that Alice was lying on the seabed. Yet again, her blue dress and white apron transformed into a light turquoise coloured dress that have many markings of shellfish and jellyfish. She was barefooted and her hair was cleared away from her forehead and more flowing.

Sora scooped Alice into his arms and shook her gently, trying to wake her up. To his relief, Alice moaned softly and her eyes slowly opened: trying to clear her vision on Sora's face.

'Sora…'

'I'm here.' Sora told her softly. 'You're safe, Alice.'

Before he realised, Sora's face and Alice's were closed to one another but before they could locked lips: they separated abruptly as they heard a wailing. Before them was the Mock Turtle, crying and sobbing pitifully. Sora quickly helped Alice onto her feet as Donald and Goofy joined them to face the moaning Mock Turtle.

'My ship's a wreck, and I am, too.' The Mock Turtle sobbed.

'The admiral goes down with their ships.' Alice told him. 'In any case, I never knew you for a sailor. If memory serves, you were station master of the Looking Glass Line.'

'Oh…' Goofy joined. 'So it's a name of a train station?'

'Was.' The Mock Turtle confirmed. 'I was sacked from the railroad without the option. "Redundant", the nitwits said. Never a holiday, loyal as a bulldog. "Going in a different direction", my aunt Fanny, if I had one.'

'Gosh.' Goofy scratched his head. 'Almost everybody have an aunt called Fanny. A-hyuk.'

'It's a metaphor, Goofy.' Donald told him.

'Going off the rails, more like! Bloody disaster!' the Mock Turtle continued. 'Now, I'm shipless. The old railroad's dead, and this new thing's a monstrosity! What I don't know about it can't hurt me. Say no more. Nod's as good as a wink.' He turned to the party. 'Change the subject! We avoid speaking about the thing whose name should not be spoken.'

'Are you talking about this new train that came into Wonderland?' Sora asked. 'We need information on that.'

The Mock Turtle turned a murderous look at Sora. 'And I thought Alice here was worse! You have no respect for the suffering of others. Go ask your questions and smart remarks to Caterpillar.'

Sora was taken aback. Then he apologised. 'Sorry man, I didn't mean to hurt you.'

'His really sorry.' Alice injected for Sora. 'Please, tell us what you know about the train.'

'I'll just say we've escaped a contaminating corruption.' The Mock Turtle told them. 'Count yourselves lucky to be down here.'

'But I don't want to escape.' Alice told him. 'I want to stop it. I must stop it to save myself… And Wonderland, too.'

'Nonsense!' the Mock Turtle dismissed her. 'Speak more nonsense. Diversions rule the day. The show must go on, and so on… Speaking of shows…'

Alice looked blankly at him. 'We weren't.'

'Yes we were.' Goofy reminded Alice. 'We are going to Carpenter's show.'

The Mock Turtle nodded as Alice glared at Goofy, hoping to get more information from the Mock Turtle about the train. The Mock Turtle handed them four concerts tickets with the word "Totentanz" on it: the letter "O" replaced with a piranha. 'Here's the tickets for the show Carpenters mounting. Use it.'

Alice took the tickets from Mock Turtle. 'Thanks.'

The Mock Turtle waved her thanks aside and sat back down onto the seabed, sobbing and crying again. Alice pocketed the tickets into her apron and walked past the Mock Turtle. Sora, Donald and Goofy wanted to stay behind to comfort the Mock Turtle but seeing that it was no use and Alice was determined to continue on, they ran after her: into the unknown depths.

Alice stood with her hands on her hips. 'I never knew that Barrel Bottoms would still be here for all this years.'

After leaving the Mock Turtle, the party found themselves in the town of Barrel Bottoms: homes to fish head citizens with clothing on them. The town was made of wooden barrels and other pieces of flotsam and jetsam. In the middle of the town was a statue of a man with red standing hair and a hooked nose holding a hammer.

Sora was walking next to Alice as she and the others were walking deeper into the town. 'What do you know of this Carpenter dude?'

Alice frowned. 'Not personally: When both Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum were still… Good, they recited a poem about the Walrus and the Carpenter taking a midnight stroll on a beach and happened to chance on a group of oysters. Being predators, the Walrus and the Carpenter managed to convince the oysters to walk with them and when they got the chance, they ate every single one of them.'

Sora and Donald's faces twisted in horror as Goofy tapped his stomach. 'Mmm… Oysters…'

Alice smiled grimly. 'The walking and talking oysters, Goofy.' Goofy's face quickly turned to disgust and Alice continued. 'Although the Walrus regretted his actions and the Carpenter ate less than the Walrus, they tried to eat as much as they could. For that, I completely disliked them both.'

'But can they be trusted?' Sora asked.

Alice gave Sora a funny look. 'I would rather trust a gremlin to hold on to my personal diary than those two but if Carpenter knows more about this train, who am I to complain.'

They continued walking deeper into the town until they were in front of a magnificent theatre: bigger than any other buildings in Barrel Bottoms and decorative with many devices. On a red and white striped signboard with light bulbs surrounding it were letters that said: Dreary Lane Theatre.

Donald tilted his head. 'That's a very sad name for a theatre.'

Alice strode in with Sora, Donald and Goofy following after her as they passed through corridors carpeted in red and made from the richest wood until they reached the theatre's hall. The hall was emptied of chairs, as they were not set up yet. On stage was a walrus with long tusks and wearing a silk collar: slumbering loudly. As the group looked up, they could see that the theatre's ceilings were opened and they looked up in the open sea: above on the theatre were many sunken ships.

As they got nearer to the stage, a tall man wearing nothing but a dark brown apron and brown pant walked onto the stage. His red hair was standing up and his long nose was hooked with his pierced with many earrings. His left leg has a prosthetic leg made of iron attached to it and he was barefooted. In his right hand was a big hammer.

The Carpenter opened his opened his arms dramatically. 'Ah… Alice, and Sora, Donald and Goofy too! Delighted to see you all again! Your arrival is filled with fortunate-ality itself!'

The party looked at each other in confusion.

'Do we know this lunatic?' Sora asked his two friends: Donald shrugging and Goofy scratching his head.

'Wasn't he the guy who sold us those cat plushies a while back?' Goofy asked.

Donald face-palmed. 'That was a Moogle back on Radiant Garden, Goofy.'

'I only heard of this guy in a poem.' Alice whispered.

The Carpenter continued. 'My pregnant show… is about to pop! Its requires only medicament of your helpful-osity.'

Sora looked stricken and took a step back. 'Sorry man but I'm not into dancing.'

'I can sing!' Donald suddenly erupted into a song: absolutely off-tune.

'A-hyuk!' Goofy chuckled. 'I can…'

'Enough of that!' Alice snapped at her friends as the Carpenter jumped off the stage. She turned back to the Carpenter. 'There's a train corrupting Wonderland and we need help destroying it or restraining it.'

The Carpenter paced before them in a dramatic strode. 'Most vexatatious: no doubt. We'll address that… Ah, monstrosity directly, that's to say, eventually. Now, let's intermediate more important matters. Due to a logisterical foul up, some of the show's requisites need to be gathered.'

The Carpenter started listing. 'The munificent script needs fetching; the writer's overly imaginative and exploring several endings. Then… You will need to assemble the show's tune-deaft music and finally, gather our stars: the show's tasty… Nay: tasteful performers. You should leave now. The essentiality of haste is essential.'

Sora gave the Carpenter a funny look. 'So basically, the show is not even ready.'

'A-hyuk.' Goofy leaned forward to Donald and whispered. 'Remember that time when Horace tried to put on a show at Disney Castle and he forgot setting up the stage?'

'How can I not forget that day?' Donald chuckled.

'Why can't you assemble these things yourself?' Alice asked.

The Carpenter made all sort of excuses. 'An impresario has arrangement, ducks in a row, fish to fry, coals to Newcastle, etcetera, etcetera. Fetch the script from the writer, then we can batter or natter as the case may be.'

Alice's hands were on her hips. 'Is the writer cantankerous?'

'To a personage of your distinguished repudiation?' the Carpenter dramatically said. 'I blush at the notionallity. He's an octopus, by the by, lives by that way. Ta-ta!'

Dismissing them with a wave, the Carpenter walked backstage as Alice turned to Sora, Donald and Goofy. 'Let's get this over with.' Alice scowled and walked to where the Carpenter indicated the writer would be: Sora, Donald and Goofy following behind her.

They exited the theatre and continued on until they reached an area with giant glass bottles filled with substances that looked like black ink and giant bronze fish with lines on them. Floating in the forest of the inkbottles was a red octopus with white moustache and wearing small black top hat.

Sora wrinkled his nose and pinched it. 'PU! This place stinks! And I thought my unwashed laundry was worse!'

'It's the scent of unrecognized genius!' Octopus retorted in an Irish accent. 'So piss off!'

'More empties than a Dublin brewery.' Alice commented. 'The Carpenter sent me.'

Octopus started insulting the Carpenter. 'For starters, the Carpenter is a pusillanimous, parsimonious, pettifogging moron!'

Alice was adamant. 'That's as may be but he sent me for the script. I need…'

'Yours needs are shite!' Octopus interrupted rudely. 'I need a drink, who cares? I need those responsible for my abortive career in chains: no joy. I need to know what's love is; the world is mum! Just now, I need a dose of hide-and-seek. Find me thrice! Be quick about it and then we can deal!'

Octopus shot out an ink fog and when it dissipated, Octopus was gone.

'Well', Sora said. 'Looks like someone is having a bad day.'

Donald looked around, seeing only inkbottles. 'This is not good, he could be anywhere!'

'Not anywhere, Octopus tend to be creature of comfort.'

They all turned to where the Cheshire cat appeared, on top of a rock lodged in the seabed: grinning as usual. Alice scowled at the cat's cryptic words.

'Out with it cat!' Alice demanded. 'Be more specific about what you say!'

The Cheshire cat just grinned at Alice's temper. 'And here I thought you're smart enough to figure it out. Very well, one who spent most of his time with ink tend to hide in ink.' With that, the Cheshire cat disappeared.

Goofy scratched his head. 'Is there a big inkwell where Octopus could hide in?'

'Not exactly, Goofy.' Sora said. 'He's maybe in one of these bottles.' For Sora had noticed that the corks on each bottles could be easily be opened. Sora summoned Kingdom Key and hefted it over his shoulders like a baseball bat. 'Here goes nothing!'

He slammed Kingdom Key onto an inkbottle, shattering it and spilling its contents and something else. Octopus floated away from the broken inkbottle and looked down at Sora.

'Beginner's luck!' Octopus cried. 'You have to try harder now!'

Octopus expelled more ink and when it was cleared, Octopus was gone: hiding in another Inkbottle. For the first time since submerging underwater, Alice smiled.

'Let's indulge him.' She said and pulled out something big from her apron. It was like Carpenter's hammer but with longer handle and the head was of a horse, black in colour.

Sora was gaping at Alice's sledgehammer. 'Where did you get that?'

Alice shrugged. 'I found it when you lots were still sleeping. I found it quite useful with dealing with Ice Snarks and those hideous black things.'

Alice stepped forward and with a yell, swung the sledgehammer in a circle: smashing four inkbottles with just one swing. Sora was amazed that a girl who was quite slim with no muscles like Alice could wield such a heavy and bulky weapon. As the ink settled down in the seabed, Octopus was again revealed. He laughed.

'Very good, very good!' he laughed with mirth. 'Now find me again and earn your prize!'

Octopus squirted another ink fog and disappeared once lifetime. The party set out destroying every inkbottles in sight: Sora slashing the inkbottles with Kingdom Key, Alice smashing with her new weapon, Donald shattering inkbottles with shards of ice and Goofy ramming his shield into inkbottles but when the ink settled down, Octopus was nowhere to be seen.

Alice looked around furiously. 'Damn it! Where is he?'

'Don't tell me he cheated!' Donald quacked and threw a tantrum.

'Look!' Goofy pointed at a floating platform near them: there stood a lone inkbottle.

Alice put the Hobby Horse back into her apron and took out the Pepper Grinder. 'I'm in a mood for peppered octopus!'

Alice grinded and peppercorns shot out of the grinder: putting holes in the inkbottle and shattering it. The ink dissipated and the exposed Octopus floated back down towards the party.

'It's all in the game: a fair cop.' Octopus said. 'You've won. You're a good sport. And no one died. Join me in my library. Unlike some, I don't welsh.'

Octopus led Alice, Sora, Donald and Goofy to a room near to where all the inkbottles used to be. The library was filled with books, chests and manuscripts scattered all over the floor. Octopus floated next to a desk and scribbled something down on it.

'The Carpenter commissioned a song and dance number on mortality.' Octopus told them. 'Art and good sense be damned! He demands mirth, silliness, and restrained debauchery all around. Walrus will do a hero turn as Death.'

'There will be a hero in Carpenter's play?' Sora looked up in interest.

'Aye!' Octopus confirmed as he held the script in one of his tentacles. 'I'll bring the script to the theatre. You lots be on your way now.' One of the doors opened to another area. 'No doubt Carpenter's got you collecting piscine divas for the musical portion. The man rarely hires the proper talent. Some fish can sing, but not all.'

The party waved goodbye to the Octopus and walked out of the library: where they heard an awful sound. They ventured further and met a dark blue transparent fish shaped like a glass bottle with protruding eyes: moaning terribly. Alice, Sora, Donald and Goofy approached the Music Fish.

'I'm not terribly musical.' Alice admitted. 'But… You seem out of tune.'

'Somebody we know.' Sora giggled and Goofy joined him. Donald looked at them suspiciously.

'What's that suppose to mean?'

The Music Fish defended himself. 'It's not my fault. I can't hear my notes. The pipes are obstructed.'

'I can see that.' Alice interrupted him. 'Why not do something about it?'

'And endanger my vocal chords?' the Music Fish protested. 'You might do it for me.'

'Why can't anyone besides us do anything by themselves?' Sora asked in exasperation.

Alice looked at him. 'This reminds me of the asylum. Something must be stopping the instruments from playing. Since there are the percussions, wind & brass and strings, it be better if split into three groups. I will take care of the woodwind and brass.'

'I will do the drums.' Sora said.

'That will leave the strings to me and Goofy.' Donald said and Goofy clapped his hands.

'Let's meet back here once we get those instruments playing again.' Sora said as they went their separate ways. Sora walked into the cavern where the drums were stationed and was surprised that a black substance was stopping the percussion from playing. More surprising that what appeared to be white children's face popping out of the black substances.

As Sora got nearer, a black substance appeared on the seabed and it grew into something big: a blob made out of the same substance with three white heads on its body. Behind the creature's back were steam pipes and its' only had one arm. Supporting it were four legs and what looked like small white arms were shielding the three faces.

The creature reached for its back and pulled out a fireball and threw it at Sora who dodged it with a dodge-roll. The creature threw another one and Sora ducked. Then it threw the third fireball but Sora was ready for it this time.

'Fore!' Sora swung Kingdom Key and hit the fireball back to the creature: breaking the white arms. The creature became infuriated and with steam rushing out from its pipes, charged towards Sora who dodged just on time. Sora then sprinted on the ball of his feet and slashed one of the faces: making it dropped onto the seabed. Angered, the creature swung its arm but Sora ducked and stabbed Kingdom Key into the second face: making the creature screamed in pain. When he pulled out his key-blade, he also pulled out the face. Sora quickly pointed Kingdom Key at the last face.

'Firaga!'

Fire shot out from the key-blade and blasted the face off the creature's body: burning to a crisp. The creature moaned loudly and it melted into the seabed, leaving a pool of the black substance behind. Sora smiled and turned his attention back to the black substance that covered the drums. One looked at it and Sora could tell the substance was really hard. Then shrugging, he pointed Kingdom-Key at the hardened substance and shot an arrow of light at it. Immediately the substance dissipated and the two tentacles behind the drums started pounding on them: sending sounds through the pipes and back to Music Fish.

Sora smiled and started miming that he was drumming. 'Oh yeah! Hear those drum beats!'

Still beating an imaginary drum, Sora happily walked back to Music Fish.

'Firaga!' Donald shouted as he pointed his wand and it shot out fire: meeting with an Ice Snark's icy breath and turning into mist.

Goofy blocked a tail whip by another Ice Snark and uppercut it in its jaws with his shield: knocking the creature out cold. Another Ice Snark charged at Goofy but Donald quickly pointed his wand at it.

'Blizzaga!'

An ice beam shot from Donald's want and froze the charging Ice Snark in mid-air, which Goofy shattered into a million pieces. Donald quickly brought his wand up and caught the Ice Snark who was attacking before it could chew Donald out with its sharp teeth. Donald struggled to push the Ice Snark away from him but Goofy's shield hit the Ice Snark in its temple and it lay on the seabed, unmoving. Donald looked up at Goofy.

'Thanks Goofy.'

Goofy smiled. 'A-hyuk. No problem.'

Donald then walked to the strings, which was covered in a black substance. 'This looks very hard. It won't be easy to crack it open.'

'Let me try!' Goofy offered and holding his shield up, ran towards the strings and rammed his shield into the black substance: shattering it. Once the black substance was gone, the strings started playing by themselves: sending sounds through the pipes. Donald made a face and tried to cover his ears.

'Quack! And I thought my nephews' playing were worst! This is awful!'

'A-hyuk!' Goofy chuckled. 'Maybe this is Contemporary music?'

'No, it is not, Goofy.' Donald said and walked away. 'Come on, Sora and Alice are probably waiting for us.'

Goofy followed behind Donald. 'Hey Donald, do you think Alice and Sora are still in love with each other?'

Donald was startled at Goofy's words but quickly defended Sora and Alice. 'Of course not! Sora is in love with Kairi and Alice is mature enough to understand that. No matter whether she is losing her sanity again, she won't push it.'

Goofy nodded contentedly and started whistling, following the strings' playing, while Donald muttered under his breath so that Goofy could not hear him.

'I hope.'

Alice was on her feet as two Cannon Crabs lighted the fuse on their right claw, which were cannons. In her hands was the Umbrella. Both crabs fired at the same time and Alice opened the Umbrella: deflecting the cannonballs and sending them back to the Cannon Crabs. The cannonballs blasted the Cannon Crabs off their feet and onto their shells: the giant crustaceans struggling to get up. Alice quickly pulled out the Hobby Horse and with a cry, slammed the Hobby Horse onto both crabs: smashing a hole into their underbelly and killing them instantly.

Satisfied the Cannon Crabs were no longer a threat to her, Alice lifted the Hobby Horse again and slammed onto the black substance that was covering the woodwind and brass: smashing the substance to shards. Once they were uncovered, the woodwind and brass started playing again: sending music through the pipes to Music Fish.

Alice grimaced as she put back the Hobby Horse into her apron. 'I've heard children's snoring more pleasant than this.' Then she looked down and was shocked that she was covered in green blood from the Cannon Crabs. 'Oh my… I'm in a mess! Now I understand why mother was reluctant to eat crabs in one of those fancy restaurants.'

Alice pulled out a cloth and started wiping the green blood from her face and dress. What would Sora think of her if she…

Alice stopped cleaning and realised what she was thinking. Why would Sora think of her? He was already married to another woman. And yet…

Alice held to where her heart was and felt it was racing. She was still in love with Sora. From a very long time since Sora first came to Wonderland, he was the first male friend to speak to and none of the boys in the real world were as funny as him. Then when she lost her sanity, it was him again who helped her. Alice admitted that without, Alice would still be lost and be tormented by the Red Queen and the Jabberwocky. Now, he was back: helping her to recover her lost memories and save Wonderland.

Alice hugged herself: despite not involved in any romantic relationships due to her time in the asylum, she could tell that Sora may have feelings for her: romantic ones. Alice wondered if there was a way to convince Sora to stay in Wonderland with her once Wonderland was safe again. They will be happy together: protecting Wonderland together and raising a family…

Alice shook her head firmly to stop her musing. No, Sora loved Kairi and Kairi loved him. There was no way Sora would abandoned Kairi for her. He was not the two-timing bastard that all men were in Alice's life. That was what made Sora so… Attractive.

Sighing, Alice cleaned herself up as much as she could before heading back to Music Fish: eager to get away from the terrible music she had to endure.


	4. A Bloody Show Indeed

'The audience will be grateful for your efforts!' the Music Fish said as Sora, Alice, Donald and Goofy returned. Now the area where they first met Music Fish was overflowing with music off-beat and off-tune: music notes were literally pouring out of the tubes and filling the air with terrible music.

Alice raised an eyebrow. 'I doubt it.'

'Unless they're deaf like Music Fish.' Donald whispered to Goofy who sniggered.

'The performers' meagre efforts will be enhanced by my musical score!' Music Fish continued. 'Please wake them with this exciting news!'

A path was opened and Music Fish drifted away: probably to the theatre.

'I really doubt the performers will be excited about the music than the audience.' Alice commented dryly.

'Stop being so pessimistic!' Sora said. 'There's a hero in the story, an excellent drum beats and dancers! How can that be so wrong?'

Alice turned to Donald, her eyebrow raised. 'He failed in drama and acting class.' Donald told her.

Alice nodded in understanding and walked through the path, followed by Sora, Donald and Goofy. They entered another area where there were beds in rows and on the beds were oysters shells. Strangely, the party could hear soft snoring coming from the oysters.

'So…' Sora asked. 'Does anybody knows how to wake oysters?'

'Assume it's the same way as waking up a person.' Alice said. 'The questions is, how to do it? Those shells probably snuffed their ears from any noise and we can't simply splash water to wake them up since we're underwater.'

'How about that?' Goofy said as he pointed at something that was hanging onto a pole. It was a golden bell.

Alice frowned. 'Worth a shot.'

Sora grabbed a piece of driftwood on the seabed and placing it in the bell, started ringing the bell loudly. Soon, the oysters' shells opened and feminine creatures that were obviously the insides of the oysters started yawning and stretching. The creatures started floating upwards and headed straight towards the theatre. The party looked up as the last of the dancers swam from their beds and towards the direction of the theatre.

Sora smiled. 'That was easy! Come, let's get to the theatre before the shows starts!'

Alice nodded. 'Sure.'

The party had not gone far when suddenly, Alice clutched her head and fell onto her knees: grunting in pain. Sora fell next to her.

'Alice!' Sora cried. 'Are you all right?'

Alice then screamed and, despite being underwater, flames erupted around them and the entire environment transformed. The party found themselves in a lavished room with Persian carpets on the wooden floors and beautiful furniture such as antique tables and armchairs made from the finest silk. Expensive paintings hung on the wall and glass cabinets containing china and tea sets. In the fireplace, there was a large piece of timber when suddenly: it burst into flames.

'I was the last one in the library, the night of the fire.' Alice intoned. 'The log I added to the grate was dead when I went upstairs to bed with Dinah. If it wasn't, I maybe responsible for my family's deaths.'

The fires died down and they were back underwater. Alice shook her head as Sora helped her up onto her feet. Alice looked at Sora, a horrified look on her place.

'I'm a murderer.' She whispered.

Sora shook her by the shoulders. 'Alice, no! It's not your fault! Even if the log was still burning, it could never reach upstairs: especially if the library was reinforced.'

Alice looked at Sora, hope in her eyes. 'You're right! The fire couldn't reach upstairs: there were no flammable substances near the fireplace and the windows weren't opened so no wind could have blown any sparks on the carpet. But Sora,' she looked desperately at Sora. 'If it was my fault, then I…'

Sora looked at Donald for help but he could only shrugged. Then Sora turned to Goofy for help. Goofy just scratched his head and said. 'Why not we go to Carpenter's show? Maybe that will get Alice's mind off fire and houses.'

Before Donald could contradict him, Alice nodded slowly. 'Good thinking Goofy, maybe the play will help forget the hell that I'm going through.'

Alice continued walking while Donald and Sora looked at each other nervously. Goofy got between them. 'Cheer up fellows! Look, there's a bridge that lead directly back to the Dreary Lane Theatre!'

Sora and Donald, seeing no other way, joined Alice while Goofy was whistling a tune but just as they were about to step onto the bridge: something knocked into it and destroyed the bridge. At a closer look, the group were shock it was Carpenter riding on Walrus: floating just above them.

Alice stepped forward. 'My gosh; you're no impresario, you're a killer! The mastermind of a criminal enterprise!'

Carpenter shrugged. 'The world is not either/or Alice.'

'We did all those things for you!' Sora shouted angrily at Carpenter.

Carpenter shrugged again, infuriating Sora. 'You did a few errands, got your hands dirty. Big deal. The show's distrac-ulates the crowd. A shame you'll all will miss it. You need to deal with these sailors. It's your time.'

'Time?' Walrus suddenly asked. 'Time? The time has come to talk of ships and eh, eh, and vegetables and royalty and eh, and whether pigs have wings and so on.'

The group looked at each other in confusion. Goofy scratched his head. 'Is he referring to those flying pig snouts we encountered?'

'Enough of that Walrus!' the Carpenter cried. 'You start wailing about there being too much sand on the beach, I'll have your blubber for breakfast!'

'Shame on you Carpenter!' Alice admonished him. 'You made a promise!'

'And promises are meant to be kept!' Sora cried back.

'I had no choice.' The Carpenter said a bit apologetic. 'One can't always do as one would like. I would have thought you'd know that by now.'

With a mocking bow, Carpenter and Walrus swam away: leaving the group behind.

'You were right.' Sora told Alice. 'We should had never trusted the Carpenter.'

Alice nodded then Donald started looking around nervously. 'Erm… Guys? I don't know whether you noticed but we're standing in a graveyard.'

Everybody looked around and Donald was right: they were surrounded with tombstones made from marbles and covered in seaweed. Worst, they could hear moaning and howling getting closer to them and they could have sworn that they could see lights appearing and disappearing. Strangely, they could hear something like a sea shanty in the air: something that only sailors would sing.

'Carpenter did say something about sailors.' Alice muttered and took out her Vorpal Blade.

Sora nudged Donald. 'Donald, you're a sailor. Maybe… They will see you as a friend and won't attack us?'

Donald looked at Sora doubtfully. 'Sora, there is a difference: I'm alive, these guys are dead.'

'There's one of them now!' Goofy cried, pointing at two floating bombs being lighted up. 'It's going to blow!'

'I got this!' Donald cried and pointed his wand at the two floating bombs. 'Firaga!'

Fire shot out of his wand and ignited the two bombs: causing an explosion. When the dust settled, a ghostly sailor was sitting on the seabed: in a dazed. Alice approached it grimly. Sora reached out for her.

'Alice, he's a ghost. I don't think…' Alice sliced the ghost's head off, making it toppled onto the seabed. 'You can kill it.'

Alice looked at Sora meaningfully. 'In Wonderland, anything is possible. If you can explode those bombs in their hands, it will reveal them.'

'There's another one!' Goofy cried. Sora was ready this time.

'Firaga!'

Fire shot out from his key-blade and another explosion occurred: revealing another sailor, sitting in a daze. Alice made short work of it as Donald and Sora cast "Firaga" at any floating bombs they spotted while Alice and Goofy take care of dazed sailors. Although they were fending off the Drowned Sailors well, there were too many of them. The group were going to continue fighting when a loud voice stopped them.

'STOP! Please, do not harm anymore of my crew!' the group lowered their weapons as a Drowned Sailor wearing a captain hat approached them: the other Drowned Sailors no longer attacking them. 'Please, help me fulfil my pledge! I need my men! They maybe hostile at first but their true souls are trapped. Released them and they will bother you no more.'

Alice put away the Vorpal Blade. 'Do they desire peace?'

The Drowned Captain shook his head sadly. 'They do not know their own minds. What's true of the living is often true of the dead. This way.'

The Drowned Captain led the group deeper into the cemetery until they stopped in front of three giant crypts made from marbles. Even without magic, they could feel an ominous aura coming from them.

'My remaining crew are entombed into these crypts.' The Drowned Captain explained. 'They wish to be free from such a confinement. Please, release them and end their suffering.'

'Mmmmmm…' Alice demurred. 'I'm not too sure how to do this: my family barely go to the graveyard and I'm no exorcist.'

'Maybe the Light can do something.' Sora suggested and pulled out Kingdom Key. He stood in front of the crypts and closed his eyes. He raised Kingdom Key into the air and then, Light resonated from the key-blade and its radiant waves hit the crypts gently before the crypts were surrounded with bright light. When the light died down, Sora opened his eyes in time to see the ghosts of Drowned Sailors leaving the crypts: giving thanks to Sora.

'My thanks...'

'I never thought of getting out of there… Thank you…'

'You save us… Thank you…'

The ghosts joined The Drowned Captain who floated to the group. 'Many thanks Sora, Alice, Donald and Goofy: be as good yourself as you've been to us. There, that path should lead you back to the Dreary Lane Theatre.'

The Drowned Captain pointed and an iron gate swung wide opened. The Drowned Captain led his crew after waving their farewells to the group. 'Come on lads! Hoist the sail and haul that anchor! It's the wide and glorious main for us!'

The Drowned Captain and his crew vanished as Alice, Sora, Donald and Goofy followed after them: waving their goodbyes. Donald quacked.

'I hope we see each other in the high seas one day!'

'Come on!' Sora said impatiently. 'Let's get back to the theatre so I can beat that carpenter!'

Alice raised an eyebrow at him. 'That's not like you Sora.'

Sora stopped being angry and grinned. 'Maybe you're such a bad influence on me.'

Then to everybody's surprise, Alice started giggling. She then slapped Sora on the arm. 'Oh you!'

Sora started laughing alongside with her until Donald, wearing a worried expression, interrupted. 'We better get to the theatre before it's too late.'

Alice stopped laughing and became serious again. 'You're right, come on!'

Alice. Sora, Donald and Goofy ran along the path and within a few minutes, could see the Dreary Lane Theatre but instead of entering from the front, they entered from the back. Before they could continue on, a foul odour reached their noses: repulsing them.

'Urgh!' Sora gasped. 'What is that? It's smell likes somebody died!'

'It's smell even worst than the butchers in London Town.' Alice said while pinching her nose.

'How are we even smelling underwater?' Donald almost choked on the stench.

Goofy coughed and he narrowed he eyes towards the direction of where the smell was coming from. He gulped. 'Erm… Guys? You may not want to look at this…'

Despite herself, Alice walked past Goofy and Sora, Donald and Goofy followed her: almost bumping into her when she stopped abruptly. They looked up to see what was stopping her and their hearts almost stopped at the sight before them.

'By the light…' Sora whispered.

Before them were piles of bloody corpses of fish people that they encountered at Barrel Bottoms: all of them cruelly butchered. Some were naked; some still have their clothes on but were covered in gore. Their eyes, yellow and protruding, were still open: staring lifelessly and their last sights were probably their murderers and their raised weapons. It was a massacre.

To their astonished horror, one of them was suspended in the air by an anchor shaped in a crucifix: the poor creature tied to it. It has a head of a nautilus but a body of a man: covered in blue tailcoat, black pants and brown shoes with a black top hat on its head. There was a hacksaw lodged into its head and its right eye was slashed. He also wore a sash around his body that said "Mayor" in bright yellow words. Amazingly, the Mayor was still alive as he was still breathing and moaning in agony.

Instantly, Goofy threw his shield like a Frisbee and the shield cut the crucifix from the ceiling: the crucifix falling down onto the seabed with the mayor tied to him. Alice, Sora and Donald quickly untied the mayor from the crucifix and Goofy gently removed the saw from his head while Donald healed his wound: too slowly.

'What happened?' Sora asked the Mayor. 'Who did this to you?'

Breathing heavily, the Mayor rasped. 'The… C-Carpenter… And the… W-Walrus… T-they s-slaughtered… Everyone who comes… To their s-show… Y-you must… S-stop them… S-save them…'

The Mayor gasped and fell silent, his good eye staring lifelessly and his body stopped moving: obviously dead. The group stood in silent and Donald stopped healing the wound and shook his head slowly. Sora laid the Mayor on the seabed and took out his Key-blade: a grim look on his face.

'They're going to pay for this!' he growled.

Alice nodded and took out the Vorpal Blade while Donald and Goofy took out their weapons as well. They quickly walked past the pile of corpses and were soon in the lavish theatre: darkened now, as the group knew its menacing secret. They quickly walked through the corridors and on the way to the concert hall, they met the Octopus and the Music Fish who were standing idly: a bottle of ale in the Octopus' tentacles and Music Fish sipping brandy through a straw. The group briefly greeted them before entering the theatre hall: now filled with hundreds of Fish people who were staring at the stage.

Sora, seeing that a confrontation was to soon, made Kingdom Key disappeared. 'Now what?'

Alice also put the Vorpal Blade back into her apron and Donald and Goofy did the same thing. 'For now, we can try to watch this abomination the Carpenter had created and act before he could do any harm to this people.'

Sora nodded and Alice led him, Donald and Goofy to the front row where they sat down. No sooner had they had time to settle in, the Carpenter appeared on stage: throwing a dramatic arm.

'Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the shoooooow!'

The audience clapped loudly as Carpenter stepped off the stage and the curtains drew up: the oyster starlets dancing onto the stage. The Carpenter sat next to Alice and clapped softly with a grin on his face. Despite the massacre they just witnessed, Alice looked at the Carpenter curiously.

'Rather bizarre show.' She commented.

Even Sora had forgotten what had transpired a few minutes ago. 'Oh come on!' he said impatiently. 'When is the hero coming out?'

Hearing his question, the Carpenter grinned. 'Right about… Now.'

The main dancer, an oyster starlet dressed in red ribbons, started prancing and twirling in the middle of the stage: capturing the eyes of everyone in the audience. Then like a rock being dropped into a pond, Walrus fell out from nowhere and squashed the main star under him: killing her instantly. He wore a mask that was shaped as a skull and in under his right fin was scythe: resembling Death.

As the oyster starlets shrieked and stood there traumatized, Walrus rumbled. 'That's quite enough of that I think! That's enough preliminaries! Here's the performance you've been waiting for proves I am without prejudice and have a fine sense of humour.'

Walrus grabbed hold of one of the oyster starlets and threw her into the air and with one gulp, chomped her with his tusk and ate her: blood spilling out of his mouth and eating the oyster starlet alive. He swung his scythe, impaling another to it, and began reciting a poem in a gruff voice: befitting Death.

'Swords and crowns are useless here,  
I invite everyone to dance  
Labourers, lawyers, church and gown  
All make their little prance.  
This life is full of random death  
And heaps of grief and shame,  
So few are soothed by "accident"  
You want someone to blame.  
Fire, plague, or strange disease,  
Drowned, murdered or, if you please,  
A long fall down the basement stairs  
None are expected, no one cares.  
I often work very hard  
Sweat running down my skin,  
After the dance I then must rest,  
And the eating can begin.'

As he was reciting the poem, he was swinging the scythe about, slicing the oyster starlets in half and devouring them with great gusto: either swallowing them in one piece or chewing on their bloody flesh. Soon, all that was left of the dance troupe were limbs being chewed on and dresses being torn to bits: the entire stage covered in blood. The Walrus, its lips and tusks covered in blood, turned his greedy face on the scared audience.

'Time to eat!' he cried in gluttonous glee. 'Death is the ultimate equalizer! All have the right to be eaten!'

The crowd screamed and took off: shoving their chairs aside in an attempt to escape from this hell. To their horror, the main door that led them in was blocked off: unable to open. The Fish people screamed in terror as Walrus waded them in and started killing them. The Carpenter jumped from his chair and started laughing loudly among the shouting and chaos.

'Get in lines creatures!' he cried. 'All will be served, so to speak!'

Alice and Sora also jumped from their seats, Alice pointing an accusing finger at Carpenter. 'Wicked thing! Feasting while Wonderland is destroyed!'

Sora stepped next to Alice, key-blade in hands. 'I hope you said your prayers pal.' Sora growled. 'Because it's time to meet your maker!'

The Carpenter put his hands forward dramatically. 'I'm not the enemy you seek!' he cried. 'I tried to hide this bit of Wonderland from that beast!'

Alice raised her eyebrow. 'Are you refereeing to that train? It seems you're doing a horrible job: killing people is not the answer.'

The Carpenter shrugged as Walrus continued to slaughter the audience. 'Appeasement is never clean. We must all play our assigned roles. Are you a pawn or a queen? An idiot or a practiced fool? However this turns out, consider the prospect that you have been misled, Alice. Then asked, by whom?'

Sora stepped forward, growling. 'Dude, you have ten seconds to make sense of what you're saying before I rammed my key-blade into you!'

Before the Carpenter could say anymore, the main door exploded: killing more fish people. When the dust settled, the group were shocked that a train was rushing towards them: knocking people out of the way and tearing down the theatre.

'Quack!' Donald cried. 'How's a train still running underwater?'

'Oh no!' Alice gasped. 'Who set that bloody train in motion? Where's it coming from?'

'It arrived when you arrived!' the Carpenter answered. 'And it's more horrible ever then you can currently imagine! The death of a dream! Caterpillar may know how!' the Carpenter jumped and placed himself between the train and the group. 'Go! Find Caterpillar before it's too late!'

Sora and Alice looked at each other in confusion: first Carpenter abandoned them to be killed by ghosts and slaughtered almost half the population of Barrel Bottom. And now he was risking his life for them? What was going on?

Before they could say or do anything, the train hit Carpenter and there was a loud crash and blinding light: Sora felt he was being knocked off his feet and he knew no more.

When Sora woke up, his first sight was grey sky and snowflakes floating down on him. Sora sat up straight and found himself lying on the snow: the cold slowly seeping into his body and Sora shivered at it. To his relief, Donald and Goofy were also on the snow, slowly waking up and shivering at the cold. Sora, Donald and Goofy slowly stood up to survey their surroundings properly. They found themselves in a street with dark grey buildings closing in on them: their roofs covered in snow. Despite knowing that they were in a city, the group found it disturbing that it was not only too quiet but there were no one present except for them.

'Where are we?' Sora asked, mentally looking around for Alice.

'Hey guys!' Goofy cried. 'Isn't that the Big Ben over there?'

Sora and Donald looked to where Goofy was pointing to and he was right, Sora and Donald were looking at the Big Ben: a landmark that can only be found in London, England.

'This must be London!' Sora exclaimed.

'A-hyuk!' Goofy said. 'This reminded me of that time when we met Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Wendy and her two brothers!'

'But the question is', Donald asked. 'Are we in the real world or are we still in Alice's mind?'

'We're back in Wonderland, I just got back from the real world.'

Sora, Donald and Goofy looked at where the voice came from: it was Alice coming out from a run-down house. Alice looked around as Sora, Donald and Goofy joined her. 'I've seen London Town worst than this but at least there were still people around.'

'Are you okay, Alice?' Sora asked, concerned for her. 'Where did you go?'

Alice shrugged. 'Besides losing my mind or the frequent headaches, I'm just fine. I just met my lawyer… Or so I thought… He was holding my Rabbit and asked him about the fire. He told me it was my cat, Dinah, who started the fire. I was so angry that I wanted to rip his head off… I'm not too sure if I did…'

Sora held her hands, ignoring the frown from Donald. 'Say no more. You're thinking too much. Let's try to find the real answer before blaming yourself or anyone else.'

Alice nodded and smiled. 'You're right. Sorry, I was hoping for a better hallucination to hide all those painful memories…'

'Erm…' Donald said, looking troubled. 'I doubt you will be getting it here because I think I see and smell something burning… And I think the train is back…'

Alice and Sora quickly ran past Donald: followed by Goofy and then Donald. They pass streets, corners and alleyways: careful not to slip on the icy path. Their feet trudged heavily against the snow until the path was cleared from snow and the city became more chaotic and ominous. The sky turned from dark grey to fiery red as flaming rocks flew from all directions and explosions occurred all of the time. Fire and lava erupted everywhere. In the sky was a swirling maelstrom that spewed out rocks and other rubble down onto the ground.

As the group walked deeper into this hell-hole, they saw the same train at the Mad Hatter's Domain: flying through the air breathing toxic black smokes and making such a hellish din. The train passed through them, continuing to make such a hellish sounds until it became quiet: the sounds of eruptions and spewing still going on.

'This bloody ruin!' Alice gasped in horror. 'It's corrupted nearly all of Wonderland!'

The Cheshire cat appeared before them. 'Seeking refuge from the wicked world?' he asked with a grin. 'Perhaps things look like they've gone to hell.'

'We get it already!' Sora said in annoyance. 'We know what is going around here! We're not that stupid!'

'Some good news is always nice.' Donald commented.

'This unmitigated disaster is Alice doing, and it will get worse.' The Cheshire cat continued. 'Your train keeps a hellish schedule. Get moving. Time waits for no one. The change has begun.'

'Now hold on a second!' Sora snapped. 'Will you stop blaming Alice for everything? How is this Alice's doing and what does that train has anything to do with Alice?'

The Cheshire shrugged and with a grin, disappeared: leaving Sora fuming. 'That cat was no help at all!'

'Now you know how I feel.' Alice said. 'But Sora… Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe… I may have indirectly brought this train into Wonderland…'

'Let's not jump to conclusion.' Sora assured Alice. 'Once we find Caterpillar, maybe he could tell us more.'

Alice smiled but became serious again. 'If we can get out of this hell-hole…'

'Guys!' Goofy suddenly said. 'We got company…'

The group were on their guard as black substances seeped out from the ground and surrounded them: forming into a dozen Insidious Ruins and two Menacing Ruins. As the Ruins closed in on them, the group readied their weapons: ready to fight. The two Menacing Ruins flung fireballs at them and Alice and Sora deflected them back with the Umbrella and Kingdom Key respectively while Donald and Goofy took care of the Insidious Ruins: Donald blasting spells on them and Goofy ramming them with shields. With their white arms shattered, the Menacing Ruins roared and charged forward: knocking some of the Insidious Ruins out of the way in order to reach Alice and Sora.

Sora dodge rolled out of the way as Alice turned into butterflies and flew out of harm's way, causing the two Menacing Ruins to slam into each other: making them howled in agony and a white face from their black bodies rolled away onto the ground. Alice pulled out the Hobby Horse from her apron and with a sideway swing, she knocked another face from the Menacing Ruin before smashing the last face in a downward swing: making the body explode into black substance and seeping into the ground. Sora knocked a fireball back at the last Menacing Ruin and sprinting forward, slashed both faces in quick succession: the Menacing Ruin screaming horribly before melting into it liquid form. While Alice and Sora were handling the Menacing Ruins, Donald and Goofy were finishing the last of the Insidious Ruins: Donald melting one with a fire spells while Goofy uppercut another one with his shield.

Soon, the group was freed from enemies and the ground was covered in black substance: making their feet sticky. They withdrew their weapons and Alice looked around the chaos and destruction around her.

'So…' Alice said hopelessly. 'They're no hope left…'

'Only if you lack the courage.' A voice suddenly boomed throughout the air: everyone hearing it. 'All is not lost if you believe in yourself and those around. Take a step forward and find me. Your answers await you there.'

Everybody looked around, wondering where the voice came from.

'Isn't that…' Sora said in wonder.

'Caterpillar!' Alice confirmed, hope filling her once again.

'But where is he?' Donald cried as he could only see fire and flying rocks.

Goofy sniffed his nose and one of his floppy ears rose. He pointed at a direction. 'This way! I smell that nasty thing that Caterpillar always smoke!'

'It's called a hookah Goofy.' Donald said.

'Lead the way Goofy.' Alice said.

Goofy nodded and led his friends past rivers of lavas and falling rocks as they ran. Volcanic ashes floated from the sky like poisonous snowflakes and earthquakes threatened to knock them off their feet: natural disasters were not the only ones obstructing them. Drifting Ruins floated down towards them and shot out crystallised projectiles at them: making the group dodged and fight back. Alice took out her Pepper Grinder and she and Donald shot them down while Sora finished them off when they laid helplessly onto the ground. Finally, Goofy had led them to an entrance of a valley, which was sealed by the hardened black substance that was preventing Music Fish's instruments from playing.

'It's behind that thing!' Goofy pointed.

'Good work Goofy.' Sora panted as they all took a breather from their escape from destruction but before they could celebrate, the ground rumbled and a pool of the same black substance seeped from the ground: sprouting out like a fountain. It form another Ruin but bigger than the Menacing ruin with four white arms and a huge rectangular body made of the same black substance and white faces, supported by four white hands. On its back were steam pipes pouring out thick smokes as it roared at the group: forcing the group to take a step back.

'That's thing is huge!' Donald said.

'You know what the Cheshire cat said?' Alice said as she pulled out the Vorpal Blade. 'The bigger they are, the easier they fall!'

Sora looked at Alice, an eyebrow raised. 'I'm pretty sure that wasn't what the Cheshire cat said.'

Alice grimaced. 'Just work with me here.'

A hole opened at the top of the Ruin and it spat out a fireball: making the group to dodge the attack. The Ruin continued firing fireballs at the group as they scattered to make it difficult for the ruin to attack them. Goofy held his shield up and stood his ground as fireballs after fireballs barraged on his shield, making Goofy sliding backwards a bit at the impact, while Sora, Alice and Donald attacked the Ruin: slicing the white faces with their blades and Donald casting spells on it: trying to weaken it. However, the Ruin was still standing and more faces popped out from it body: the Ruin continuing its onslaught.

'This isn't good!' Sora said as he and Alice stepped back. 'This thing is too big for us! We need to bring out the big guns!'

Alice nodded and looked around the battlefield, Donald and Goofy still fighting the Ruin, when her eyes came upon something that you would not expect to find with so much fighting and destruction around you. It was lying on the ground sideway but it was still clean and new. It was made out of bronze with a handle, a cover and a long, wide spout. In the middle was a green clock with two black hands pointing the time.

It was a big bronze teapot.


	5. The Mysterious East

Alice picked up the bronze teapot curiously. 'Mmmmmm… I wonder how this work.'

Looking under the handle, she found a trigger and pulled it with a finger. The teapot started bubbling violently and steams pouring out from the lid. When Alice let go of the trigger, the teapot released a ball of hot tea and exploded on the rocky walls, leaving behind a smoking hole. Both Alice and Sora stared at it in wonder.

'Woah.' Sora said. 'Who knew tea can be that dangerous?'

Alice looked at where Donald and Goofy were fighting the Colossal Ruin and looked back at the teapot. She had an idea.

Alice pointed the teapot at the Ruin and shouted. 'Donald, Goofy, get out of the way.'

Donald cast a last fire spell before backing away while Goofy took cover behind his shield as the Ruin blew fire against his shield. Alice pulled the trigger and the teapot bubbled loudly once again, the whistling becoming louder and more steams coming out from the lid. Once she was sure that the teapot was at it full power, she released the trigger. The teapot vomited out a large glob of tea and flew towards the Ruin, splashing all over it. The Ruin screamed in agony and a giant white face surfaced on its body.

'Sora!' Alice shouted. 'Now's your chance!'

Sora nodded and pointed his key-blade at the face. He fired an arrow of light that hit the face and shattering it into tiny pieces. The Colossal Ruin roared in pain as it crashed down onto the ground and dissolved into the black substance all ruins were made from. With the Colossal Ruin gone, the party breathe easier. Alice smiled at the teapot.

'I think I will keep this.'

'You sure packing quite an arsenal.' Donald commented as he and Goofy joined them. 'Wish I have an apron like yours.'

Alice smiled and placed the teapot inside her apron. 'Let's find Caterpillar.'

'Erm…' Goofy narrowed his eyes as he looked further. 'I think my eyes are deceiving me but is that a smoking island over there?'

The group turned to where Goofy was indicating to and approached it, surprise written on their faces. Surrounding them was chaos with fire spewing out from the earth and ashes floating down. So when they saw a miniature grove with lust greens and a calm atmosphere, they were bewildered.

'What is this?' Sora asked, looking closer at it.

Alice studied it and murmured. 'An uncorrupted part of Wonderland.'

'Not as uncorrupted as you think.' A voice told them. 'But it is safe from the train and the destruction it bring with it. For now. Come join me my friends.'

Sora noticed a hookah next to the small grove. 'I'm not into smoking. Kairi made me promise not to touch any form of tobacco.'

'Same goes for me.' Alice said.

'I won't ask you to inhale.' Caterpillar told them. 'Let the smoke envelope you.'

Smoke suddenly surrounded them and the party found themselves shrinking as the chaotic world they were in slowly disappeared. When the smoke died down, they found themselves in a grove with lustful greens and bamboos with water as clear as crystals. Within the forest were obelisks with Japanese characters written on them. Sora, Donald and Goofy looked around in wonder as they took in the calm atmosphere.

'This is so relaxing.' Sora breathed in and breathing out, serenity on his face.

'Yeah.' Donald smiled while Goofy took in deep breaths as well.

'I've heard tales of the East from my father.' Alice commented. 'But I never thought it would be this beautiful.'

Sora opened his eyes and saw that Alice's dress had changed. Alice's dress was now mde of dark blue silk with pictures of pink and blue flowers and butterflies sewn on it. The collar folded together and on her white apron were symbols of Uranus and Pluto. Her dress resembles the traditional kimono found in Japan. Along with the dress she wore a necklace made of green jade, a pink and white stripped arm warmers along with her black tight boots.

Alice noticed Sora's stare. 'I have a feeling this is made from Caterpillar's own silk.'

'You look nice.' Sora commented.

Donald looked up and sighed. 'So much for a peaceful moment.'

Sora turned to Donald. 'What do you mean?'

Donald pointed. 'Looks like something's burning.'

Alice, Sora and Goofy looked up and saw smoke coming out from the forest. They also heard screaming too.

'Ruins?' Sora asked, conjuring out Kingdom Key.

'Or something else?' Alice asked and ran towards the screaming, Sora, Donald and Goofy following closely behind her.

They ran up the path, passed the bamboos and the obelisks until they came to a village. As soon as they entered the village, they were met with a massacre. Wooden huts were on flames and people resembling ants wearing straw hats and blue clothing were screaming in terror as they tried to run away. Causing all this havoc were wasps wearing yellow robes with a red rope tied around them and a white Oni masks with a vertical yellow line across it. They attacked the villagers with katanas and arrows, slaughtering any ants unfortunate enough to be in their way.

Sora ran forward with his Kingdom Key in his hands. 'Hey you yellow-belly insects! Fight someone your own size!'

The Samurai Wasps stopped attacking the villagers and hovered towards Sora, surrounding him. One of them slashed it katana in a downward swing but Sora merely blocked it and pushed his attacker away and swung Kingdom Key behind him, cutting down another Samurai Wasp. Alice pulled out her pepper grinder and started grinding, shooting down the surrounding Samurai Wasps and sending them down to the ground. This took away their air superiority over Sora. Those who were armed with bows and arrows and nocked their bows and aimed it towards Sora, only for their bows to be knocked from their hands by Goofy's shield. The shield flew in circle and returned back into Goofy's hands. Donald raised his wand at the now weapon less Samurai Wasps Archers.

'Thundaga!' he shouted.

Lightning bolts came down from the skies and electrocuted the archers, turning them into crisps. Sora continued to take out as many Samurai Wasps as possible, parrying blows after blows while dealing as much damage as he could. One of the Samurai Wasp sneaked behind Sora and raised it katana but before it could deliver the killing blow, Alice swung the Hobby Horse onto it: smashing the Samurai Wasp into a pancake. Alice yelled and swung the Hobby Horse into another wasp, breaking the mask and smashing its head. She and Sora joined back-to-back with weapons in their hands as more Samurai Wasps surrounded them

'Thanks for the save.' Sora said.

Alice just snorted. 'Do you normally charged into a fight impulsively?'

'Bad habit.' Sora grinned as he blocked an attack. 'But it work most of the time.'

' _Most_ you say?' Alice said sceptically as she smashed a Samurai Wasp's legs before smashing it into a pulp. Sora smiled and slashed a Samurai Wasp in half.

It was not long until all the Samurai Wasps were dead on the ground, their bodies twitching slightly before becoming still. Sora and Donald wasted no time in casting spells that showered the burning houses with water, extinguishing the fire. When the fire died down, the Ant Villagers slowly came out from where they were hiding and gathered around the heroes. At a closer inspection, Sora realised that the ants were made out of paper.

'Thank you!' one of the villager shouted, bowing lowly. 'Thank you for saving us from those Wasps. You're our saviours!'

`Our saviours have come!' the villagers chorused together, bowing low to the group.

The group looked at the villagers in confusion. 'What do they mean by saviours?' Sora asked Alice.

Alice shrugged. 'I'm as confused as you are.'

Then an ant wearing robes of a monk broke from the circle and greeted them. 'Caterpillar had foretold a saviour will come to aid us but we never thought they be more than one.' He bowed. 'Our village elder is in the temple just up on the grove but be wary strangers, the Daimyo Wasp leads the vicious wasps and he is extremely powerful.'

'We shall see about that.' Sora smiled confidently.

The ants murmured in awe and left a gap for them to walk through. Sora, Alice, Donald and Goofy walked out of the village and the villagers waved their farewells as the heroes continued on to their journey.

'We finally made it.' Donald breathed loudly, leaning on his knee.

After climbing up the grove and passed more rivers and bamboos forests, the party reached an old temple made from ancient wood and covered in thatched roofs. White banners were displayed along the walls and wind-chimes hung just beneath the edges of the roofs. Between them and the temple was a gate made from the strongest and thickest wood, reinforced with metal plating.

'Looks like this temple had it shares of raids.' Alice commented, studying the door.

'Look on the bright side fellows.' Goofy grinned. 'At least those nasty warps are not attacking us anymore.'

Sora, who was also studying the temple, suddenly straightened up and strained his ears. 'Erm… Goofy… I think you spoke too soon. We got company.'

The party immediately pulled out their weapons and hurdled in a circle as they were once more surrounded by Samurai Wasps and Archers, their katanas shining dangerously in the sunlight and arrows pointed towards them.

'For once, can't we just enjoy a peaceful adventure without running into any fights?' Alice muttered as she readied the Vorpal Blade.

Sora grinned as Kingdom Key was raised in a defensive stance. 'Welcome to the club.'

One of the wasps hissed and they started attacking, raising or thrusting their swords onto the heroes. Sora and Alice went onto the offensive and dodged the sharp katanas, hacking and slashing any Samurai Wasps in their way. Goofy blocked sword blows and arrows, giving cover for Donald as Donald fired spell after spell: freezing or burning the wasps. Sora ducked a katana swing and swung his key-blade upwards vertically, slicing a Samurai Wasp in half, while Alice cut off a Samurai Wasp's sword arm before stabbing it in the throat. Like before, Donald pointed his wand into the air and lightning bolts struck the archers: turning them into a crisps. With no support, the remaining Samurai Wasps fell easily to both Sora and Alice's blades. The skirmish was not long before every wasps laid on the ground, writhing in death.

The party relaxed and were about to put away their weapons when all of the sudden a strong gale slammed into them, threatening to knock them off their feet. They backed away slowly as a giant wasp hovered down before them. Unlike the Samurai Wasps they had dealt with, this one was twice as big as the other. Instead of robes, this one was equipped in full black armour with a yellow flag with four shurikens symbols attached on it back. The Oni mask was replaced with a kabuto helmet with two crescent moons on each sides that looked like horns. In it hand was a giant and sharp naginata.

Although its face was covered, the group can tell the Daimyo Wasp was glaring at them. 'Pitiful worms! How dare you kill my men? Feel the wrath of my blade!'

The Daimyo Wasp roared and flew straight towards the group, raising the naginata above its head.

'Duck!' Sora cried as he and Alice jumped to their right while Donald and Goofy went to the left, the naginata slamming where they stood.

Alice got onto her feet and pulling out the Pepper Grinder, she started grinding: sending peppercorns at the Daimyo Wasp. The Daimyo Wasp pulled out its naginata and spun it in circles, deflecting Alice projectiles. After Alice's Pepper Grinder ran out of peppercorns, the Daimyo Wasp then moved the spinning naginata to block Donald's ice missiles. Sora quickly sneaked behind the giant wasp and raised Kingdom Key to strike the Daimyo Wasp from behind, only to block the end of the naginata when the Daimyo Wasp swung it at Sora. The Daimyo Wasp jumped into the air and slammed it naginata onto Goofy, forcing Goofy on his back and the only thing that saved him from death was his shield.

'Goofy!' Donald cried and fireballs fired from his wand.

The Daimyo Wasp dodged and flew towards Donald but before it could strike him with a killing blow, Alice jumped towards it and swung the Hobby Horse towards him. The Daimyo Wasp grunted as it blocked the heavy blow with his long weapon and pushed Alice away before thrusting his naginata towards Sora. Sora dodged aside and tried to close in for an attack but his key-blade's range cannot match the long range of Daimyo Wasp's naginata. The Daimyo Wasp raised it naginata for another strike, only for something hit the back of its head. The wasp growled and whirled on Goofy who opened his hand as his shield returned to him while Donald stepped in front of him and fired ice missiles at the Daimyo Wasp. The Daimyo Wasp spun its naginata in circles to block Donald's ice spells, failing to notice that Alice had pulled out the Teapot Canon and was pointing it towards the wasp. Once the teapot was whistling loudly, Alice let go of the trigger and a glob of brown beverage flew towards the Daimyo Wasp. The Daimyo Wasp tried to block the liquid projectile with its spinning move but it still splashed on it, scalding it with hot tea.

The Daimyo Wasp screamed in pain as the hot tea burned his body and it dropped its naginata onto the ground, leaving him defenceless. Sora then leaped into the air and slammed Kindgom Key into its chest from behind. The Daimyo Wasp gave a final shriek before crashing into the ground, writhing slightly before remaining still. Sora, who managed to land on his feet, pulled Kingdom Key out from the corpse and smiled as his friends gathered around him.

'Good teamwork.' He said and the others nodded in agreement.

Goofy looked at Alice's teapot. 'We could go for some tea right now. A-hyuk.'

Alice grimaced as she put the Teapot Cannon back into her apron. 'I don't think this is drinkable Goofy.'

Then the reinforced door to the temple flung opened and the party was greeted by more Ant villagers and monks who were applauding them and cheering them.

'They have defeated the evil Daimyo and his minions!' one of them cheered. 'Our saviours have come!'

'Caterpillar's prophecy has come true!' a monk shouted. 'All hail our saviours!'

The ants continued cheering as Alice turned to Sora. 'It must be nice to be hail as a hero in every world.'

Sora grinned. 'All in a day's work.'

'Please.' A monk bowed at them. 'You must meet our elder.'

The Ants led the party into the temple grounds where they passed through Zen gardens and banzai before going into the ancient building. In the temple were small shrines of ant deities and before them were villagers praying or making offerings. Two monks rang the bell softly, filling the temple with it ringing. The group stopped before an ant with long white beard and eyebrows. Unlike the other ants, his skin was white and he wore a straw hat and a greyish coat. He bowed to the party.

'On behalf of the village and the temple.' The Elder began. 'I thank you heroes for ridding off the Wasps raiders and saving my people. Your victories in combat and conundrums suggest your fitness to confront the challenges ahead but will your mental strength confirm your worthiness or lead you to defeat? Answer me these riddles three and I will let you pass.'

Sora, Alice, Donald and Goofy looked at each other. 'Whose is good at riddles here?' Sora asked.

'I am!' Donald quacked confidently.

'I suppose we must go to the mountain top as I won't come to us.' Alice muttered. 'Very well wise one, we're ready.'

The Elder coughed before asking. 'All about, but cannot be seen. Can be captured, cannot be held. No throat, but can be heard. What am I?'

Alice screwed her face thoughtfully while both Sora and Goofy looked at each other, puzzled. Donald thought hard before replying. 'Wind!'

The Elder nodded approvingly and asked the second riddle. 'I am always hungry, I must always be fed. The finger I touch, Will soon turn red. What am I?'

Alice frowned. 'I know this one. It almost eaten me alive and I was almost turned to red. It is fire.'

The Elder smiled. 'Very good. Now for your last riddle. If you break me, I do not stop working. If you touch me, I may be snared. If you lose me, nothing will matter. What am I?'

Sora answered without hesitating. 'Heart. If somebody break up with you, your heart is still working. If somebody touches you lovingly, you may fall in love with her, and if you lose someone, your life will continue on. So the answer is heart.'

The elder smiled. 'You can save us! I will open the path for you.' He bowed again and stepped aside. Behind him a massive door flung wide open, revealing more greenery as well as a path that led up to the summit. 'The strange and wondrous Caterpillar awaits! Onward young heroes! We will assist you as best as we can.'

The party nodded their thanks and walked out of the temple and back into the calming forest. Behind them stood the elder and the other villagers who waving and cheering loudly for them.

'The "strange" and "wondrous" they said?' Sora grinned. 'I wonder what they see in Caterpillar.'

Alice shrugged. 'People tends to call one "strange" and "wondrous" when they meet someone different than them.'

Sora nodded as they continued climbing the mountain. They have not gone far when suddenly, Alice fell down onto her knees and started screaming. Before Sora, Donald or Goofy could help her, they were surrounded by flames and the bamboo forest disappeared. It was replaced with a living room with expensive antiques, Persian carpets, furniture and a fireplace that suddenly burst into flames. Then the scene changed to a bedroom where a young Alice suddenly woke up in fright and a black cat jumping out of the window.

'Dinah saved my life!' Alice said loudly. 'I survive because… She showed me how to escape! I didn't leave the lamp in the library, and Dinah didn't knock it over! The lamp, and Dinah were upstairs when I went to bed! Dinah was in the room with me when the fire started!'

The flames died down and Alice shook her head as Sora helped her up. When she was on her feet, Sora said. 'So it wasn't you or your cat who started the fire. That means you didn't kill them.'

'Yes.' Alice agreed. Then she frowned. 'The question is, who did?'

'Phew!' Donald panted. 'I'm so exhausted!'

'At least we got all this delicious water to drink! A-hyuk!' Goofy said as he lapped from one of the rivers.

The party had been climbing the mountain for a long time, being greeted and assisted by many of the villagers while also defeating remnants of the Samurai Wasps. Now they were resting in a flat clearing, surrounded by bamboos and mists along with a river that flows downwards.

Sora and Alice, who were not tired as Donald and Goofy, were still on their feet. 'I'm going to explore a bit. Come and catch up with us once you guys are ready.'

'I think I come along.' Alice said. 'A nice walk would be nice.'

Donald opened his beak to say something but being too tired from the climb, he just nodded and dropped his head into the cooling water, taking gulps of water. Sora and Alice walked further up the forest until they came to another clearing. This one was similar to the previous one but besides the bamboo and the upper parts of the river was a blue fungus in the middle of the clearing. It was big that glowed in blue and sent out a mystical aura, making everything in the clearing a hint of blue. Just above it was a mist of blue powder.

Alice and Sora walked closer to it. 'What is this thing?' Sora asked, peering closely.

'Careful Sora.' Alice warned. 'It might be…'

Alice did not get a chance to finish her sentence when the fungus suddenly blew a gust of blue powder into them. Sora and Alice quickly stepped away, trying to fan the powder away from their face. Then they froze, their eyes widened slightly as they gazed at each other. Then they slowly smiled at each other.

'Alice.' Sora murmured, cupping Alice's face in his hands. 'Did I ever told you that you're beautiful?'

'Oh Sora.' Alice murmured, burying her face into Sora's chest and sighing. 'That is so romantic of you. And I love your jokes. None of the boys I met were as charming and funny as you.'

'And I've never met someone as beautiful and brave as you Alice.' Sora told her, pulling her away from his chest to look at her face. 'I think… I'm falling in love with you.'

'Sora.' Alice giggled, unlike her character. 'I've been in love with you when you first came to Wonderland. Be mine and stay in Wonderland with me. Forever and ever.'

'I will.' Sora said and he closed in towards Alice, his lips puckered. Alice sighed contently and closed her eyes, puckering her lips. As their faces moved closer, Sora thought that Alice resembled a certain red-haired girl in both appearance and personality. A girl who was waiting for him back on Destiny Island. A girl to whom he was married to…

Horrified at what he was about to do, Sora pushed Alice gently away and blindly stumbled towards the river. Sora allowed himself to fall onto the knees and dropped his face into the river, Alice shrieking in surprise. Sora washed his face hurriedly and as thorough as he could, washing the blue powder off his face.

'Sora?' Alice asked as she walked towards him. 'What's…?'

Alice shrieked again when Sora scooped up water in his hands and splashed it onto her face, making Alice gagged. As Alice rubbed the water out from her eyes, Sora took out his key-blade and pointed it at the fungus.

'Firaga!'

Fire shot out from Kingdom Key and set the fungus on fire, burning it to ashes. Soon, there was nothing left but a burnt mark in the ground and ashes in the air. Alice finally dried herself and frowned at Sora.

'What happened?'

'Alice, I'm so sorry!' Sora panicked. 'It wasn't what it look likes! That fungus blew something into us and almost… Erm… Well… Kiss…'

Alice frowned and looked at the scorched spot on the ground. 'That must had been the Caterpillar Fungus. Name after our hookah-smoking friend and can be found on this grove. It tend to cause romantic or even erotic feelings to anyone who come in contact in it.'

'Yeah!' Sora said. 'About that… What we… I… Said…'

'It's all right Sora.' Alice told him gently. 'We're under the fungus' spell. What we said earlier were not our words and we didn't do anything to each other so it's fine.'

'Oh.' Sora finally relaxed and they both looked at each other, slightly awkward. 'I guess… I better get Donald and Goofy.'

'Yes.' Alice nodded with a straight-face. 'We best get going.'

Sora nodded and ran down towards the clearing they just been while Alice stayed behind. Once she was sure Sora was out of hearing, she sighed loudly. What she had told Sora was a lie. After years spending in Wonderland, Alice had grown immune to many of the fungi's pollen so only Sora was under its effects, she only pretended to be under its spell. She covered her face. When Sora was holding her, she felt her heart racing and she could not refuse him. This was what she had desire for a long time, being close to Sora. To feel him. To kiss him…

Alice touched her lips and sighed, wrapping herself with her arms. She was so close…

'Wishing for the impossible maybe a bit too much for you.'

Alice turned around to meet the grinning visage of the Cheshire Cat. He was sitting on a rock, licking his paws. Anger boiled inside of Alice.

'Shut up you damn cat!' Alice shouted. 'Can't you not butt into my business? It was already bad enough that you brought Sora into my life and now this!'

'I didn't bring Sora into your life.' The Cheshire cat said innocently. 'And I certainly didn't encourage you to love him but I suppose this kind of thing can't be help. After all, you're at that age.'

The Cheshire Cat vanished with a grin and left Alice fuming. In frustration, she kicked the spot where the Caterpillar Fungus used to be, sending ashes flying all over the place.

The party continued on their way towards the summit of the grove. During the climb, Sora and Alice were avoiding eye contacts, only giving each other short answers. Donald looked at them suspiciously from behind, wandering what happened when Sora and Alice were alone when they were resting earlier. He did not had a chance to ask them what was going on before they stood in front of another temple. This one was bigger than the first one they been to and it was more ancient. On its walls were carvings of ants, wasps, dragons, and a Caterpillar.

'We're finally here.' Alice said and she pushed the door opened.

The doors flung opened and the party walked inside a small chamber made out of marble and had torches hanging on the walls. In the middle of the room was a small statue of Caterpillar smoking a hookah, resting on a marble pedestal.

'We've come all this way to find a simulacrum?' Alice asked in disbelief.

'If I had time, I'd detail how often you prefer dealing with illusions rather than the real thing!' Caterpillar's voice echoed around the chamber. 'Problems you don't refuse to deal with don't exist. You deny reality!'

'That's not fair!' Sora defended Alice. 'She knows what real or not.'

'See what I mean?' Caterpillar said. 'You allow others to tell you what isn't real! Now come inside!'

The floor below them cracked and they fell through it, screaming as they fell. Thankfully, they landed softly onto their feet. They found themselves in another chamber but this one was natural with marbles and stalactites and stalagmites, dripping water from the tips. In front of them was an enormous cacoon and if within that cacoon was Caterpillar.

'Caterpillar?' Donald asked in wonder. 'Is that you?'

'The one and only.' Caterpillar replied. 'Although it is time I changed.'

'My memories are shattered!' Alice cried. 'This wicked train had ruined all I can recall, and Wonderland will perish completely as I lose my mind! So much has changed. I can't help Wonderland if I can't help myself!'

'Much has changed!' Caterpillar told her. 'But you've got it backwards! Save Wonderland and you may save yourself! Carpenter was onto something but he was hiding from the real! Your goal is to accept it!'

All of the sudden, the party could hear a loud howling of wind blowing within the chamber as chunks of rocks and stalactites came crashing down onto the ground.

'Hey guys!' Goofy yelled, trying to steady his footings. 'I think a tornado is coming!'

'Where should I go?' Alice asked Caterpillar. 'What shall I do?'

'The queen must be served, Alice!' Caterpillar shouted as his cacoon began to crack. 'The Queen in all her guises must be served!'

'Are you talking about the Red Queen?' Sora shouted in disbelief. 'Are you crazy? She almost killed us and almost took Wonderland for herself! What does she has anything to do with Alice's memories?'

'The queen was someone Alice once knew and love!' the Caterpillar answered as he slowly popped out from his cacoon. 'Time changes us all!'

He finally broke out and suddenly, winds erupted into the chamber and blew both him and the party skywards. The last thing the part heard were Caterpillar's echo through the howling winds.

'Time changes us all!'

Caterpillar, now a butterfly, flew away as the party continued to fly upwards towards the sky. Sora looked up and gasped when he noticed Alice was just above him and he was looking under her dress. The winds suddenly stopped and they fell back down but instead of the ground, they landed into something white and papery. The party groaned and picked themselves up, finding themselves in a floating castle made out of cards, under clear blue skies and with white floating clouds.

Alice picked herself up and noticed Sora gaping at her. 'What?'

'I've forgotten how white they were.' Sora said without thinking.

Alice narrowed her eyes dangerously. 'What?'

Sora quickly shook his head. 'I mean… I forgotten how white the clouds are! I mean, look at those clouds…'

Alice glared at Sora and Sora trembled at her stare but luckily for him, Goofy iunterupted them. 'A slide! I wonder where that lead to.'

Alice gave Sora a hard look before walking forward, Sora giving a sigh of relief. Alice just stepped onto the slide made out of cards and slid down. Sora, Donald and Goofy quickly followed her, sliding down. As they progressed further, they passed through more clouds and cards. The sky slowly turned to sky-blue to orange and then red as they continued downwards. Finally, the slide ended and the party landed onto their feet. They stood up and found themselves on a broken bridge made out of red bricks. Along the bridge were red hearts either imprinted on the bridge or as lamp posts. At the end of the long bridge was what look like the kingdom with red towers, ramparts and labyrinths that surrounded it.

Alice, Sora, Donald and Goofy found themselves back at the Red Queen's kingdom.


	6. Royal Petition

The Cheshire Cat greeted them with a grin. 'Back to admire your handiwork? Returning to the scene of the crime?'

'How was that a crime?' Donald defended themselves. 'She was evil. She needed to be stopped.'

'Murder is a crime.' The Cheshire cat pointed out.

Donald opened his beak to argue further but stopped, slumping his shoulders.

'She didn't treat you too well last time, lost your head as I recall.' Alice reminded the cat.

The Cheshire cat's grin widened. 'She was completely deranged. You pick up her crown, but now you've put it down. You must speak to her, what's left of her anyway.' He started to disappear. 'Nice dress by the way.'

Alice scowled as she looked down. Her oriental dress has transformed into a red dress with two lines of roses between a lines of bows. Attached to it was a white apron with the symbols of Venus and Leo sewn on it. A black ribbon with golden hearts tied behind her waists and she wore red and black gloves.

'Great! Now I look like the Red Queen herself.'

'Except more beautiful.' Sora commented without thinking.

Alice blushed but said. 'Quiet you!'

Alice strode forward, her long black hair hiding her face. Donald folded his arms over his chest, glaring at Sora. Remembering his friend's words earlier, Sora quickly followed Alice with Donald and Goofy taking the rear. They walked on rumbling bridges with some of the support beams reduced to rubble, threatening to collapse. The party quickly made their way towards the Red Kingdom, wary that they were being watched. Obviously the Red Queen, still alive, was watching them or must have known their presence.

After what felt like eternity, the party came to the end of the bridge and were relieved to be on solid ground. Around them, the grass were dried and the trees were dark and ominous, as if their bared branches were reaching out for them. They walked up a small rampart that led to the entrance of the Red Queen's Kingdom, standing with wide eyes and surprise written on their faces.

Before them were white chess pieces lying on the deceased floors, smashed into pieces or with limbs missing. The party walked passed dead knights, bishops, rooks and pawns until what was suppose to be the entrance of the kingdom. Before them was a giant white chess piece with a white crown and cape. He has a greyish moustache and his eyes were moving. In his hand was a white great sword. Vines and creepers constricted him, making it looked as if he was part of the walls.

Sora gaped at him. 'Isn't it the White King?'

The White King looked down at them sadly. 'Ah… Alice and friends… It's so good to see you all again… If only in a more… Happier place.'

'The Red's Kingdom is in ruins.' Alice observed her former ally. 'But you're no better off.'

The White King sighed. 'When you defeated her, I tried to reclaim the castle, but I was set upon by her monstrosities. The malignant royal bitch still reigns.'

'What monstrosities?' Donald asked, shivering slightly.

The giant chess-piece sighed again. 'Best you not know.'

'We're here to petition her.' Alice said. 'We must go inside.'

The White King looked at Alice and knowing he could not dissuade her, he slowly nodded. 'The only way in is through me. Sacrifices must be made.'

Sora looked horrified. 'Wait, you're not suggesting we must kill you to get in?'

'Those who say so usually mean they should be made by others.' Alice told him.

'Cynicism is a disease.' The White King said. 'It can be cured. Once inside beware of the oversized killer who patrols her domain. Never confront him: he is invincible. Now, cut me loose. I will show you the meaning of sacrifice.'

Sora gulped but before he could say that there must be another way, Alice grimly pulled out the Hobby Horse and lifting it over her head, brought it down onto the White King. When the Hobby Horse slammed into the royal chess-piece, the White King turned to pieces and the party could have sworn they heard a silent sigh. The fragments of the White King fell onto the ground, bringing the vines along with him and showing the party a pathway into the Red Kingdom. Sora turned to Alice as she put back her Hobby Horse.

'Alice…' Sora began but before he could, Alice strode forward into the kingdom.

Even though he could not see it, Sora can tell that Alice was turning back to the cold and merciless girl he met a year ago. Ever since they came back, Alice was becoming better. The kind and caring Alice Sora first met in Wonderland many years ago. He frowned. What had brought back her change?

'What are you waiting for?' Alice said impatiently. 'Do you want me to take your hand and drag you around like a child?'

Sora immediately snapped from his thoughts. 'Sorry… Be right behind you.'

Alice then walked into the maze with Sora, Donald and Goofy following after her. The hedges that acted as walls of the labyrinth were now brown with decaying roses. The lush green grass carpet that covered the entire labyrinth was not writhing away, as if it was scorched by fire. The party walked through the dying labyrinth under the blood red sky, remaining vigilant for any enemy attacks.

After a long walk, they entered a clearing. The clearing was the same as the labyrinth, surrounded by death and destruction. Along the ground were railway tracks burned until they were black and most of it derailed. Close to the rail tracks were burned out carriages of trains as well as disrepair pavilions, black and covered in dying creepers. It was truly a void of a once powerful kingdom.

The party, however, was not alone.

In the clearing were figures with white bodies covered in bloody gashes and cuts. The figures wore either black or red gloves, boots and hoods. In the centre of their bodies were holes shaped in either diamonds, clubs, spades or hearts. Their gloves covered their sharp claws and their heads were skeletal. One of them wore heavy armour and wield a heavy pole-arm. The armoured one noticed the party and with a snarl, pointed its pole-arm at them. Immediately, the Card Guards charged at the party.

Goofy looked at them as they closed in on them. 'They don't look goofy anymore. A-hyuk!'

'What do you think happened here?' Sora asked as he pulled out Kingdom Key.

'Apparently this infernal train must have brought these Card Guards back from the dead so that they can serve their queen again.' Alice answered as she pulled out the Vorpal Blade.

Immediately Sora and Alice went onto the offensive, Sora slashing a Card Guard in half while Alice ducked and plunged the Vorpal Blade into another. Goofy blocked an attack from one of the creature while Donald provided support, casting lightning bolts on every charging Card Guards. After dispatching their first opponents, more charged toward them. Sora parried another claw-like attack before cutting down his attacker. Alice pulled out the Hobby Horse and knocked off two Card Guards off their feet, leaving them as easy victims for Donald's spells. Sora decapitated another Card Guard while Alice smashed the last one into the ground, the clearing covered with dead Card Guard.

The Armoured Card Guard snarled and dragged its pole-arm towards the group, increasing its pace. The creature raised it pole-arm and brought it down on Sora, the heavy lance landing heavily onto Sora's key-blade. Sora grunted as he stood his ground, pushing the heavy pole-arm back. The armoured Card Guard stumbled backwards but brought it forward when Alice swung the Hobby Horse towards it, knocking the pole-arm out from the creature's hands. Weaponless, the Card Guard was defenceless as Sora struck it down with a slash. The creature moaned as it crumpled down onto the ground, lying dead with its brethren. The clearing was once a wain clear of enemies.

Sora grinned as they relaxed. 'That's that. I can't believe it's this easy. This should be a walk in the…'

Alice stopped him. 'Ssshhh… Listen.' she strained her ears. 'Can't you hear that?'

Sora frowned and tried to listen carefully. 'No… Erm… Am I suppose to hear something?'

'I can.' Goofy said. 'It's sounds like… A moaning… And heavy footsteps…'

Sora, now understanding what was going on, quickly looked around. His eyes widened. 'Everyone, duck!'

He speared Alice down onto the ground as the hedges next to them exploded violently. Alice gasped as she and Sora hit the ground hard, blushing slightly at Sora being on top of her. Sora quickly pulled her up as the dust settled, revealing a gigantic figure before them. Its body was white, similar to the Card Guards, except that it look like that different body parts were sewn to it. It wore a mismatched pair of red and black gloves and boots. On it head was a red jester hat with red tentacles surrounding its neck, even protruding out from its eye sockets. In its hand was a giant scythe, dangerously sharp. It gave a deafening roar at the party.

'I'm guessing that's the oversized killer the White King was talking about.' Sora said as he readied Kingdom Key again.

'How observant of you.' Alice commented dryly. 'Do you think we have a chance?'

Sora shrugged as the Executioner charged towards them, slamming its scythe in between them. The scythe sent out a shockwave that knocked them off their feet, making them land on their bottoms. The Executioner was about to continue with its assault when something hit him, distracting him away from Sora and Alice . The creature turn to Donald who pointed his wand at him, crackling with electricity. The Executioner roared and swung it scythe into Goofy's shield, sending Goofy flying into Donald and making them lie in a pile on the ground.

'Donald! Goofy!' Sora cried as he jumped onto his feet.

Yelling, Sora charged with his key-blade in the air. The Executioner turned around and swung its scythe, almost taking out Sora's head. Sora dodged rolled forward and swung Kingdom Key, only striking the scythe. The Executioner stomped onto the ground, forcing Sora to jump backwards to avoid the shockwave. He ducked as the scythe swung just above his head, slicing a few strands of hair. The Executioner raised it scythe but before it could bring it down on Sora, peppercorns hit it squarely in the chest. The Executioner roared as Alice fired peppercorns with her Pepper Grinder before pulling out the Teapot Cannon.

Charging it to maximum power, Alice pressed the trigger ant the Teapot Cannon released a glob of hot tea. The glob flew towards the Executioner like a watery comet. The Executioner merely swung its scythe like a baseball bat and knocked the glob back towards Alice. Alice barely gasped as she jumped to her side, barely dodging the glob of hot tea. She quickly pushed herself up as Sora, Donald and Goofy joined her. The Executioner roared and slammed the end of its scythe into the ground, shaking the ground slightly. Then out from nowhere, more Card Guards appeared behind and next to the Executioner: snarling and stretching their claw-like hands towards the party.

'Now we have that monstrosity and more of those abominations to deal with.' Alice said. 'Any ideas?'

'I have one.' Sora said, putting back Kingdom Key. 'Run!'

Sora turned and ran back into the labyrinth, with Donald and Goofy following behind him. Alice cursed but seeing no other choice, followed after them. They did not go far into the labyrinth as the Executioner was hot on their tails, roaring and swinging its scythe like a machine. Alice gulped softly as she heard the heavy footsteps and the scraping of steel along with their own footsteps and panting. Fortunately, the sounds the Executioner was making dimmed and they can no longer hear the presence of the Executioner. Assured that they were now safe, the party stopped running. They breathe heavily as they leaned on their knees.

'I think we lost him.' Donald panted.

'That thing is unbeatable.' Sora said as he straightened up. 'There's no way we can beat that thing.'

'Nonsense!' Alice snapped. 'Everything have a weakness! We just need to study it carefully and…'

Alice screamed suddenly and fell down to her knees, clutching her head in pain. Sora, Donald and Goofy looked around to see themselves surrounded in flames, the labyrinth changing into another scene. They found themselves back in Alice's living room with all the antique furniture and expensive decorations before the scene change to Dinah jumping out of the window. The scene changed again to a side view of the entire house where they saw a tall slim figure entering the house, walking upstairs into a bedroom with the name "Elizabeth" on the door. Then the figure came out, grabbed the lamp and threw it into the living room: starting the fire. The same figure was standing at a safe distance as it watched the house burned down.

'Lizzie hated locked rooms!' Alice gasped. 'Her room was further from the fire than mine! Smoke could not have killed her, she never locked her door. And besides, she knew another way out of the house, out of the window. Someone incapacitated or killed Lizzie, then locked her door, then took the lamp downstairs and started the fire to cover up their crime! Their plan was to kill us all!'

The fire died down and they were back in the labyrinth. Alice moaned and rubbed her head while Sora helped her onto her feet. Alice shook her head to shake away the cobwebs in her mind. Judging the right moment, Sora asked.

'Who is Lizzie?'

Alice sighed. 'Elizabeth, my older sister. She was always getting into trouble…. But I never thought that it will one day kill her… Whoever this fiend is not only killed my sister but also killed my parents! I will find him and destroy him!'

Sora was troubled at Alice's tone. 'Alice…'

He did not finish as he suddenly speared Alice away as the Executioner burst from one the hedges and swung its scythe at the party, Donald and Goofy ducking the blade. Sora quickly rolled off Alice and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her up onto her feet.

'Go! Go! Go!'

Sora pulled Alice with him, running away from the Executioner as it continued to chase after them. The Executioner roared and swirled its scythe like a machine, closing in on them. Sora could hear a yelp from Donald as the scythe made a bald patch on his tail. Despite the situation they were in, Alice blushed as she looked down at Sora's hand while they were running. It brought her back to when Sora first came to Wonderland and he was helping to escape from Red Queen's guards. That time her hair was blonde, her eyes were blue and her soul and mind innocent from all madness. Such nostalgia brought a small smile on her face.

After some time, they reached another clearing. Although they had put some distance from the Executioner, they could the creature's roaring and the scraping of steal. It was coming closer.

Sora let go of Alice's hand and pulled Kingdom Key. 'We have no choice! We got to fight that thing here and now! No matter how big it is, it got to have some weak… Alice?'

Sora stopped his speech when he saw Alice standing in front of a small table. Puzzled, he walked next to her and looked on the item on the table. It was a cake with vanilla frostings and cream with cherries on top. One slice was already taken out from the cake, showing the moist chocolate in it. On the cake was a card that said "Eat Me". Alice was about to take a slice when Sora stopped her, grabbing her wrist.

'What are you doing?' Sora asked. 'It could be poisonous.'

Alice gave him a scornful look and shook his hand off her wrist. 'You speak as if this is your first time in Wonderland. You do realise that all cakes are safe to eat. Besides, we don't have any choice in our current situation.'

Sora turned back to the bellowing Executioner and then to the cake. 'Oh… Yeah… Wasn't thinking…'

Alice picked up a slice and lifted it towards her mouth but before she could bite into it, she stopped herself: frowning. Then she shoved the cake into Sora's mouth, making Sora gagged in surprise. Sora quickly swallowed the cake and felt himself shooting up towards the sky. Donald and Goofy quickly grabbed a slice and bit into it, growing as big as Sora. Sora was still wiping cream from his lips when Alice joined him, all four of them towering the entire labyrinth. Sora gasped at her.

'Were you using me to see if the cake was poisonous?'

Alice rolled her eyes. 'How heartless do you think I am? It's because I don't want you to see my panties again.'

Before Sora could protest, Alice looked down and smirked. Sora joined her and saw the Executioner gaping up at them, its scythe dropped onto the ground as it stood there stupidly. Alice lifted her right foot and slammed it onto the Executioner, killing it instantly. Blood splattered all over her heel, Alice smiled.

'They are right when they say revenge is sweet.'

'I think you mean the cake. A-hyuk!' Goofy said, patting his stomach.

Sora grinned at Alice's meaning. 'Yeah!'

He too raised his leg and stomped on the already dead Executioner, making its body more flatter.

'That's for chasing us with that scythe!'

After Sora was done, Donald pushed Sora aside and angrily jumped on the Executioner repeatedly. 'That's for giving me a bald patch!'

Donald jumped higher and higher, sending blood flying all over the ground. Sora had to wrapped his arms around the duck, stopping Donald from jumping more on the Executioner.

'All right Donald, that's overkill already.'

Donald breathes deeply to calm himself, nodding to Sora to let him go. As Sora put Donald back onto the ground, a loud pealing of bells rang in the air. The group can feel the ground shaking as what sounds like ants marching towards them. Then a voice filled the air.

' **INTRUDERS**!' the Red Queen screeched. ' **DESTROY THEM MY SOLDIERS**!'

The Card Guards roared as they marched towards the gigantic party, looking like an army of red and black ants. For the first time since coming to the Red Queen's domain, Alice looked amused.

'I must say that I'm going to enjoy this.'

Sora smiled. 'Let's do this!'

Sora strode forward and sent his foot towards the army, sending several Card Guards flying. Donald pointed his wand at another approaching army and froze them with ice spells while Alice stamped her heel into the ground, sending shock waves that knocked the Card Guards off their feet. Only Goofy did not join in the slaughter as he clumsily tried to avoid stepping on the Card Guards, failing miserably.

'Oopps! Sorry!' Goofy cried as he stepped on a Card Guard. 'Sorry again! I'm not used of being a giant… Oopps!'

Goofy tripped on a piece of rubble and he fell towards the ground, his back slamming into something soft and wet. The thing exploded violently, sending red fluids flying everywhere and coating the ground with red. As Goofy landed on it, a terrifying scream filled the air. Instead of anger like the earlier one, the Red Queen's scream was in agonising pain.

' **AAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH**!'

Goofy got into sitting position and turned his head over his shoulders, seeing red covering his back.

'Hey guys!' he cried to his friends. 'I'm covered in strawberry sauce! A-hyuk!'

'Erm… Goofy.' Sora corrected him as Donald helped Goofy onto his feet. 'That's blood.'

Goofy frowned and looked at is back again. 'Looks like strawberry sauce.'

'Goofy, you're brilliant!' Alice suddenly complimented. Sora and Donald turned to her in surprise, Alice rarely gives put praises. 'You just destroyed one of the Red Queen's hearts. If we destroy more, that will stop her minions from coming to us.'

'You're right!' Sora added. 'Look, the army is growing smaller!'

'Exactly.' Alice said and strode towards a tower, walking through the mass of black and red. She kicked the Card Guards away, grunting slightly when a staff hit her heels. There was a red tentacle at the base of the tower, obviously to protect what was under the construction. Alice grabbed the tentacle and yanked it out of the ground, making the tower crumbled too. When the dust settled, it revealed a large throbbing heart. Red as an apple with veins visible on it and throbbing hard and fast. Alice lifted her foot and slammed it down on the heart, destroying it and sending blood flying everywhere. Another scream filled the air.

' **OH MY HEART! AARRRGGGGHHHHH! LET US BE! NO NEED TO GO FURTHER!** '

Taking up Alice idea, Sora walked up to the next tower and slashed the tentacle with his giant key-blade. The tentacle writhed away and Sora kicked down the tower, sending it sliding further away from the third beating heart. Sora lifted Kingdom Key over his head and plunged it into the heart, making blood erupt from it. The Red Queen screamed again.

' **AAAARRRRRGGGHHH! PLEASE, GO AWAY!** '

'That show her.' Donald said as Sora pulled out his key-blade from the dead heart.

'Ooohhhh.' Goofy pointed. 'That tower have an eye on it! A-hyuk!'

Now the armies of the Card Guards littered on the ground as corpses, nothing opposing the group as they made their way yo the tower. Unlike the earlier towers, this one was bigger and taller with a crimson roof and an eye serving as a window. As they got closer to the tower, the Red Queen screamed: encouraging them to stay away.

' **UNWELCOME VISITORS: RETURN FROM WHECE YOU CAME! CEASE AND DESIST!** '

Alice ignored the Red Queen's pleas and grabbed hold of the tower, pulling it out from the ground. Debris and stone fell as the tower was lifted into the air, revealing another beating heart. Alice turned the tower upside down, the top part facing downwards, and plunged it into the giant heart. The heart erupted in an explosion of blood as a blood-curdling scream filled the air.

' **AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!** '

The scream turned to moans as the dust settled, the giant heart still squirting out blood, revealing a small fountain that said "Drink Me". Alice gently picked it up, careful not to crush it with her now giant fingers. She lifted the fountain over her head and opened her mouth, tilting the miniature fountain towards her. She swallowed a drop of the fountain's content before passing it to Sora, immediately shrinking back to her normal size. Sora then dropped a drop of the fountain's water into Donald and Goofy's mouth before giving himself a small dosage, all three of them resuming back to their normal height.

After they returned to their normal heights, the party found themselves standing on where the giant heart used to be. The ground under their feet were soaked with blood and the stench was unbearable. Alice wrinkled her nose.

'So this is what a slaughterhouse smell like.'

Sora almost gagged at the foul stench. 'I think I might consider turning to vegetarian after this adventure.'

'Don't be such a whimp.' Alice said before walking into a tunnel made out of red flesh, Sora noticing Alice's body shuddering at the sight.

Sora, Donald and Goofy quickly followed after Alice, their feet sinking slightly in the fleshy ground. The deeper they ventured in the fouler the smell became, making them pinch their noses to block out the smell. Blood dripped down from the ceiling and flowed down the walls of flesh, making the scene more grotesque. Thankfully, they saw the light of the tunnel and they hurried towards it.

When they exited the tunnel, it was slightly better. Although they were confined in a bigger chamber of flesh, it gave them more space and the foul stench was not overwhelming. Below them was nothing but total darkness as a bridge of flesh led them into the chamber. At the end of the bridge was a throne made out of flesh and red tentacles waving behind it. To their surprise, sitting on the throne was what looked like a young girl with short shoulder-length black hair and green eyes. Her face was pale and her hands were red fleshy claws. She wore red and black embroidered dress with white frills. On her head was a golden crown and she held in golden sceptre in one of her fleshy claws.

Realising they were in the presence of the Red Queen in her throne room, Alice commented. 'I was expecting someone else.'

'Wasn't the Red Queen uglier?' Sora whispered to Alice.

'You don't know your own mind.' the Red Queen said in a young but demonic voice.

'It's nearly a complete stranger.' Alice admitted.

'What you claim not to know is merely what you've denied.' the Red Queen cried. 'You've recaptured your vagrant memories, what are you doing with them? You once rejected my attempts to control our lives, forcefully! But now you've allowed another to succeed in my role!'

'I won't miss your tentacles.' Alice said.

'Yeah.' Sora agreed. 'Same with her.'

'You'd prefer the hot stinking breath and unyielding attention of a potent unreasoning unfeeling hellraiser?' the Red Queen questioned. 'I don't think so!'

'She may have a point.' Goofy pointed out.

'You must know something.' Donald interjected. 'Caterpillar said you know something.

'Give me a reason why must I help you who dethroned me before.' the Red Queen said defiantly.

'We will all be doomed.' Sora pointed out. 'I'm sure you don't want that.'

'Not doomed-forgotten.' the Red Queen corrected. 'I may survive here, but you're finished! You see the pattern of destruction, I know you do. The Train is trying to destroy all evidence of your past, and especially, the fire! Now, who would want that? Who benefits from your madness?!'

Alice was taken aback by the queen's statement. 'The destruction of Wonderland, is the destruction of me?'

The Red Queen nodded. 'Indeed! And vice-versa.'

'I've set it in motion, I can derail it.' Alice began to defend herself. 'This is good for me. I'm not insane, I didn't kill my family. I am fine. I'm not mad, I'm innocent. I-I mean, not guilty…'

'Alice! Look out!' Sora suddenly cried.

The Red Queen's tentacles silently creeped around them and immediately shot out from the darkness, wrapping around them. The tentacle also wrapped around the arms, gluing them to their bodies, so none of them could reach for their weapons. The tentacles slowly lifted them off the fleshy ground.

'What are you doing?' Alice cried.

'The Train must be stopped.' the Red Queen told them. 'But there's more to do. Your view conceals a tragedy. The whole truth you claim to see eludes you because you won't look at what's around you!'

The Red Queen opened her mouth impossibly wide, ready to swallow them whole. Sora gasped and closed his eyes, saying a silent prayer and summoning the light. Then they was a sudden explosion of light, blinding them all. Sora could hear the Red Queen screamed in surprise and felt himself plummeting downwards into the darkness. He quickly opened his eyes but could only see nothing but darkness. The wind slammed against him and could hear the wind whooshing.

What felt for eternity finally ended as Sora, casting Gravity on himself, landed on his feet. He noticed that the ground he landed on was no longer fleshy like in the Red Queen's throne room but now it was hard. Standing slowly in the darkness, Sora pulled out his key-blade and attempted to illuminate it. He did not need to.

All of then sudden, flames erupted in the darkness. Sora had to shield his eyes as the flames surrounded him in a circle, providing light in the darkness. Sora lowered his arms and found himself surrounded in an inferno, alone. Where were Donald and Goofy… And where was Alice?

'Sora!'

Sora whirled around and saw his best friends just outside of the ring of fire, standing at a safe distance while trying to put out the fire. Sora was about to join them in their attempts to put out the fire when he suddenly noticed a presence behind him. Fearing another monster, he slowly turned around. He immediately relaxed when it was only Alice, back in a blue dress but her long black hair blocking her face. Sora walked towards her, smiling with relief.

'Alice! I'm glad you're okay!'

Then his smile faded and his steps faltered as he noticed Alice's nonchalant attitude. He heard her whispered his name.

'Sora… You… You… **BASTARD**!'

Alice suddenly screamed like a banshee, her scream going to every direction. Unprepared, Sora had to step back as the sound wave hit him: not enough to knock him off his feet but enough to make him cover his ears and closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, he was shocked at Alice's disturbing change. Her face was death pale with black sockets for eyes and blood flowing down from them. Her hair was as black as ebony and hung loosely down her back. Her dress was all white, gloves and boots included. She looked like a ghost, even sounded like one as she spoke murderously to Sora.

'I asked you to stay!' she told him in a voice that does not sound like her. 'I _begged_ you to stay! I _love_ you Sora! We could have been happy together! Just you and me in Wonderland! But instead…' Alice began to chuckle darkly, almost at the point of insanity. 'You chose to go to that red-haired whore! Even marry her!' she stopped chuckling and glared at Sora with those black voids that were once her eyes. 'Tell me Sora! What make that slut Kairi who only know how to cry out for help and not fight her own battles better than me? Am I not good enough for you?'

Sora was stung at Alice's crude words. Not only was she insulting his wife but also insulting her fellow Princess of Hearts, a dear friend nonetheless. Sora knew that he and Alice shared a romantic bond but he never thought Alice's love for him was that great. Sora took some deep breaths before replying.

'Alice, you're upset! Your madness is overcoming you! You must calm down!'

'Calm down? Madness?' Alice spat out the words. 'You should have known that I've been mad all this time! It was you who pulled me out from the madness! Only for you to abandoned me like a use-up doll! And I thought you have feelings for me!'

'I do have feelings for you!' Sora cried desperately. 'Alice I… I like you but I love Kairi! Please understand Alice, I have feelings for you but only as a friend!'

Alice was still, silent. Sora began to hope that his words were reaching out to her. His hopes were dashed however when Alice began giggling hysterically, a demonic grin growing on her face. He was alarmed as Alice pulled out the Vorpal Blade from her apron, still the same as ever and still deadly sharp.

'Very well.' she said in a calm but deadly voice. 'If I cannot have you… **NO ONE CAN**!'

Screaming like a banshee, Alice charged towards Sora: the Vorpal Blade aiming for his heart.


	7. The Banshee and the Dollmaker

Sora barely brought out Kingdom Key as the Vorpal Blade struck the broad side of the key-blade, forcing Sora to take a step back as Alice whirled around. Sora ducked as the Vorpal Blade just swung above his head and he had to dodge a downward swing from Alice. Sora quickly backed away as far as he could while Alice screamed in frustration, pulling the Pepper Grinder and immediately started shooting deadly peppercorns at Sora.

'Proctecga!'

Peppercorns pelted off the magical shield, giving Sora a moment to take a breather. He did not have long. Alice shoved the Pepper Grinder back into her apron and swapped it with the Teapot Cannon, aiming it at Sora. When it was fully charged, it unleashed a glob of hot tea onto the magical shield: shattering it as soon as it made impact. Sora has to jump back to avoid getting scalded by the hot beverage, putting as much distance away from Alice as possible. Sora straightened up as Alice put the Teapot Cannon back into her apron, shouting.

'Alice! Calm down! Can we talk about this rationally?'

Alice grinned demonically as she pulled out the Hobby Horse. ' **It's too late for that Sora dear. All thoughts of rationality and sophistication are out of the window. Right now, I want nothing more but to carve your heart out and gnaw on it**!'

With another banshee-like scream, Alice ran forward and jumped into the air: bringing the Hobby Horse onto Sora. Sora dodge rolled just in time as the Hobby Horse slammed into where Sora was, sending a shockwave that made Sora rolled further. Sora barely was on his feet when he had to roll to his side, the Hobby Horse almost smashing his head.

Outside of the ring of fire were Donald and Goofy, trying whatever they could to get through the inferno. Donald casted every ice and water spells he knew while Goofy used his shield as a way to force himself through the fire, all to no avail. Donald looked desperately through the flames and saw that Sora was in trouble.

'Hang in there Sora!' he shouted. 'We will get through this fire as fast as possible!'

'As soon as we call the fire brigade!' Goofy added, holding up a dial-phone from nowhere. 'Hey Donald, what's the number for the fire brigade in England?'

Donald tuned to look at Goofy. 'Well… It should be nine… Nine… Goofy! We don't have time for this!'

Sora jumped onto his feet and dodged another swing from the Hobby Horse, this time he gripped Kingdom Key tightly and swung as hard as he could. He heard the clash of steel as he knocked the Hobby Horse out from Alice's hands, making it sink into the ground. Alice snarled and pulled out the Vorpal Blade, slashing towards Sora. Sora backed away too slow and he felt warm blood flowing from the cut inflicted by the blade on his left cheek. Sora can feel himself losing consciousness from the loss of blood as his movement became slower, barely dodging all of Alice's deranged attacks.

Sora jumped backed from Alice latest attack, panting heavily and struggling to stand up straight. Besides the cut on his left cheek, there was a vertical slash on his stomach and another cut on his right arm. Alice was slowly weakening him before going in for the kill. Alice stood before him, wearing the same demonic grin, with the Vorpal Blade pointing towards him. She let out a growl.

' **This is your end! I hope you will burn in hell with me!'**

Screaming, she charged towards Sora with the Vorpal Blade. Sora stood there, too weak to defend himself. Even if he had the strength, he cannot hurt Alice. She was his friend. Sora closed his eyes, a tear flowing down his cheek.

'Kairi, please forgive me.' He whispered.

Before Alice could plunge the Vorpal Blade into his heart, Sora stepped forward and instead of the heart, the Vorpal Blade ran into his stomach. Sora grimaced at the searing pain in his stomach but endured it as he pulled Alice towards him in an embrace. Alice demented grin fell at the gesture.

' **What the hell are you** …?'

She did not finish her sentence as Sora's lips touched her, kissing her gently on the lips. Alice's uttered a surprise gasp into Sora's mouth but when her surprise subsided, she slowly closed her eyes and kissed Sora back. Her madness was replaced with warmth as their lips stuck to each other, their tongues sliding towards each other. Slowly, Alice's features returned back to her normal self: the white dress turning back into blue and her pale face becoming tanner.

The ring of fire slowly died down, allowing Donald and Goofy to run towards Sora and Alice. As they reached them, Alice and Sora broke the kiss. Both of them fell onto the ground, Sora groaning as he slowly pulled out the Vorpal Blade from his guts and throwing it aside while Alice just sat there: her hair blocking her face. Donald pointed his wand at Sora.

'Curaga!'

The cuts and wound Sora received from Alice slowly closed up and all that was left on Sora were dried blood. Sora moaned softly as Goofy helped him onto his feet, letting him go as soon as Sora was stable enough to stand up by himself.

'Thanks guys.' Sora said gratefully, holding his stitched up stomach.

'Any time.' Donald said.

'We're just glad you're okay. A-hyuk.'

Then their smile fell as they turned to Alice who was still on the ground, her face still hidden. They saw her moved her fingers to her lips before dropping them to the ground. There was a long silence and it was only broken when Alice spoke softly, Sora, Donald and Goofy barely heard it.

'I'm sorry.'

Sora, still recovering from his wound, gave a small smile. 'Hey no worries. You were overcome with madness so what you did wasn't your free will…'

'NO!' Alice said violently, making Sora jumped. She stood up, glaring at Sora. 'I may have been overcome by madness but my feelings were genuine! I love you Sora and it was because of that love that I almost kill you! I… Cannot forgive myself if I… I hurt you!'

They stood there, staring at one another, unable to say anything. No one dare to say a word as the awkward silence grew longer and longer. The paralysis broke as Alice shook her head and bends down to pick up the Vorpal Blade. She spoke as she straightens up. 'I need to continue this… Alone. You… Don't need to come. Thanks for everything until now but we need to part ways here.'

Alice turned her back on them as Sora reached out. 'Alice wait, you can't face this alone. Whoever doing all this is…'

Sora stepped back as Alice whirled on him, pointing the Vorpal Blade at him. She glared at him. 'Don't follow me! If you do, I'll kill you and this time I mean it! Do you understand me?'

Sora stood where he was, not moving a muscle. Then Alice lowered the Vorpal Blade and her face softens, looking apologetic. Sora was shocked to see tears flowing down her cheeks. 'Please… Just go back home. Go back… to Kairi. Both of you… Deserved each other.'

Alice quickly turned and broke into a run, not looking back at the group. She ran further and further until she disappeared into the darkness. Sora stood there, his mind in turmoil. He stared at the darkness where Alice disappeared, trying to make a decision. Donald and Goofy looked at him, worried. Realising that Sora could not make up his mind, Donald said softly.

'Come on Sora, let's go home.'

Sora did not answer for quite some time before he answered with determination. 'No.'

Donald was startled at Sora's answer. 'Sora, you heard her. She doesn't need our help if your life is in danger…'

'I handle worst and Alice need us more than ever!' Sora said. He then turned to Donald before he could say more. 'Donald, remember when we had that fight on Tarzan's world?'

Donald closed his mouth and he frowned. 'Yeah… We had an argument about who gets to drive the Gummi ship. With wouldn't talk to each other for some time.'

'But we still helped each other when we were helping Tarzan and Jane.' Sora argued. 'And we even forgave each other at the end. With Alice by herself, she needs us more than ever! Besides,' Sora grinned, back to his usual self. 'A certain feline encouraged us to continue helping Alice no matter how many times she said no.'

Donald opened his beak to speak then stopped, smiling a bit. 'I guess you're right. Well, if you still want to help out then you can count on my support.'

'And mine! A-hyuk!' Goofy added.

Sora smiled at his friends. 'Thanks guys, I and Alice will appreciate it.' He then became serious, turning towards the darkness. 'Let's go.'

Taking the lead, Sora ran into the darkness: Donald and Goofy following after him.

* * *

Sora stopped running and leaned onto his knees, breathing heavily. Donald and Goofy did the same thing as Sora, taking a breather.

'Phew.' Sora breathed out, standing up straight. He looked around his new surroundings and shuddered. 'Guys, if I've any daughters in the future, remind me not to buy them any dollhouses.'

For the past hour, Sora, Donald and Goofy travelled what looked like a giant dollhouse. It was all pink with a mixture of different colours that supposed to be a place for children but on the contrary, the surroundings were too ominous. Broken plastic limbs of giant dolls were scattered all over the ground, missing limbs and even eyes. Their mutilated bodies were like real-life corpses. All of the dollhouses were falling apart and the group had to struggle to get pass them, hindering their process. It gets worse.

The groups are constantly attacked by the Ruins and mutilated dolls with torsos missing or behemoth dolls carrying kitchen knife. As usual but without Alice's aid, the party cut down any enemies that were in their way, whether it was the Colossal Ruin or any of those dolls monstrosities. Although Sora was comfortable with Donald and Goofy fighting at his side, he does miss Alice darting in and out as she sliced up enemies with the Vorpal Blade. Sora just sighed and hoped Alice was all right, speeding up their progress on finding her.

At the mention of those dolls, it was Donald's turn to shudder. 'Tell me about it. It reminded me about that killer doll movie we watched that one time.'

'A-hyuk!' Goofy agreed. 'I couldn't sleep for weeks!' then he became serious, looking around thoughtfully. 'Do you think these dollhouses have a part in Alice's real world?'

'Maybe Goofy.' Sora replied as he continued forward, well rested already. 'It could be the asylum or that place she's living with her psychiatrist…'

'But isn't the psychiatrist suppose to help Alice?' Goofy asked.

'Maybe…' Sora said as he studied the dollhouses. 'Or maybe he's not…' he shook his head. 'Come on guys. We won't know if we just stand around here.'

Donald and Goofy nodded as they followed Sora out of the dollhouse they were currently in and stepped inside a house. This house was no longer colourful and gay like the dollhouses but every where were metallic pipes and almost everything were covered in the black liquids that came from the ruins. The ceilings was pitch black, with chains dangling from the ceilings, as the air was filled with the screams of what sounded like children. Chills were sent down the group's spines. Not even the dollhouses were as ominous as this house.

'Erm guys…' Goofy said as he looked around. 'I think we're in some sort of a workshop.'

'Whatever they're making here, I don't want to know.' Donald shivered at Goofy's statement.

'Guys!' Sora said urgently, straining his ear. 'Do you hear that?'

Just around the corner, they can hear a feminie voice speaking:

'Am I not the most wretched and selfish of fortune's fools? Oblivious, I live in a training ground for prostitutes; my mentor is an abuser and purveyor; I've been complicit with my sister's murderer, and the killer of my family, as he corrupted my mind! I sought relief from my pain and you turned me away from the truth!'

'It's Alice!' Sora said with relief.

They were shocked when a deep malicious male voice spoke:

' **You were almost there, almost free from what you fear. You could have been cured. You could have forgotten**.'

Sora , Donald and Goofy, concerned over Alice's safety, quickly make their way to the corner: sticking their heads out so they can see what was going on. Alice was standing defiantly before a giant being that looks like a human but too grotesque to be one. Its face was hollow and sunken, pale ghostly white. Its had no eyes, leaving hollow sockets oozing with black fluids that came from the Ruins: also dripping down from its mouth and nose. Its hands were even more grotesque as it looks like it been stitched together with nails sticking out from it. Sewn on each hand was a face of a baby doll, one black and one red. It wore a black vest but instead of pockets were drawers at the front. Hanging around the workshops were lifeless dolls, shaped as children.

'Abandon the memory of my family!' Alice shouted at the abomination.

The monster just gave a shrug. ' **They are dead, and you should be too**.'

'You misbegotten abomination… Murderer!' Alice cursed at the creature. 'You blood sucking parasite! The damage you've done to children… The abuse!'

' **I provide a service, in the great and awful metropolis, appetites for al must be gratified**.'

'My family!' Alice screamed. 'My mind, the infernal train!'

' **Train is your invention, your defence**.' The creature told her. 'I **merely set its schedule and itinerary**.' Then it recited mockingly:

' **The train is coming with its shiny cars,**

 **with comfy seats and wheels of stars,**

 **so hush my little ones have no fear,**

 **The man in the moon is the engineer**.'

Alice waited for the creature to finish its recital before saying. 'I'll stop that train, if it's the last thing I do!'

The creature just shrugged. ' **As you wish, it will be. You're lost. And where your body is your mind will follow, perhaps it's already there**.'

Before Alice could do anything, the creature swept her into its hand and closed its palm. When its opened its palm, there was a lifeless doll that resembled Alice. The creature then dropped the Alice doll into a funnel, sending it flying down itno the abyss.

Without a moment thought of consequence or harm, Sora ran from where he hid towards the funnel: ignoring the cries of his friends. Sora heard the monster gave an astonished grunt but before it could pick Sora up, Sora dived into the funnel. Sora found himself in total darkness, falling deeper and deeper into the same abyss the Alice-doll was heading to. Despite the darkness hindering his visions, Sora managed to spot the Alice-doll.

Putting all his weight into the fall, Sora sped downwards and reaching out his hands, he managed to grab the Alice-doll. With the Alice-doll safely in his hands, Sora closed his eyes, ignoring the rush of the winds in his face, as he muttered a prayer to the light. Gradually his entire body was engulfed in light and it spread to the Alice-doll, covering her with the same radiance. With the Alice-doll filled up with light, it suddenly exploded and Sora had to close his eyes to avoid being blinded. When he opened his eyes again, he was surprised to see Alice back into a human again. Alice slowly opened her eyes, her vision of Sora in a blur.

'Sora?' she whispered.

'Hey.' Sora grinned at her. 'Don't want to scare you or anything but we're falling to our deaths here.'

Alice frowned and looked down, gasping as they both continued to what looked like a white platform. Alice shrieked as they plummeted towards the platform. Before they could do anything, they heard a voice just above them.

'Gravity!'

Sora and Alice suddenly slowed down by a purple magical shield, magically pushing their feet first towards the plaform. Sora looked up and was glad to see Donald and Goofy hovering just above them. Sora gently landed on his feet with Donald and Goofy landing just behind him. Sora lowered Alice down onto her feet, making sure she was stable before pulling his hands back. Alice held her head in groginess before looking at Sora.

'You… Came back…'

Sora grinned. 'Of course I did. You didn't think I would abandon a…'

He stopped smiling when Alice exploded on him. 'What the hell is wrong with you? I tell you one simple thing and what did you did? The exact opposite!' Sora slowly retreated from Alice's tirade. 'Why, you're the most idiotic blockhead I've ever come across! The most stupidest moron I ever met! You stupid, moronic…'

Then to Sora's astonishment, Alice buried herself into his chest. Her arms were around his waist as she sobbed quietly into his clothes, still ranting at him. 'Stupid… Stupid… Idiot!'

Sora's smile returned as he hugged Alice back, allowing Alice to cry into his chest for a while. Donald and Goofy respectably stood back, allowing them some time to themselves. After a while, Alice dried her tears and gave Sora a shaky smile.

'I knew you came back.' She murmured. 'Thank you… For being such a good friend.'

'Hey, you know I will help you all the way.' Sora said before turning serious. 'Was that thing someone you knew from the real world?'

Alice nodded. 'My psychiatrist, Doctor Angus Bumby. He was suppose to be my mentor but he is secretly selling children as…. Sex toys. I… Cannot forgive him. If he lives, who knows how many more innocent children will suffer. We have to stop him!'

Sora, who had been listening to Alice in horror, nodded his head. 'So what's the plan? Where are we?'

Goofy and Donald joined them and looked around, studying their surroundings for the first time. The sky was still dark with raining dolls descending upon them but did not land on the platform they landed on. The platform that they were standing on was paved with white marble surrounded by gates with sharp spires. Before them stood a tall and white cathedral with many glazed-glass windows. Shrouding behind its spires were thick smoke coming from several steam pipes. Another factor the group noticed was that even though the entire platform was stationed, it felt like it was moving.

'Call me crazy but isn't this the Infernal Train we have been tracking all this time?' Donald asked.

'You're right!' Sora confirmed Donald's statement. 'So in the engine room…'

'Is where the Dollmaker is lurking.' Alice said and slowly made her way towards the cathedral, Sora, Donald and Goofy following behind her. Sora and Goofy took the lead and pushed the first door opened, letting Alice and Donald to walk in before closing the door behind them.

Once the doors were closed shut, the party found themselves in a luxurious train carriage with red carpet covering the floor and golden linings in every corner of the carriage. Red cushioned chairs were lined up in rows and the windows showed the darkness outside. All the seats were empt… Except for one.

The party approached the Mad Hatter, leaning heavily on his staff. His yellow eyes looked up as Alice came towards him

'Hatter!' she said imploringly. 'I must stop this infernal train and the evil force that drives it!'

The Hatter shrugged disdainfully. 'Everything's a nail, is it, Miss Hammerhead? First it was your search, freighted with fear and fragmented memories. Now it's the train! Never time for tea! While your brain's on holiday, we're out ruined! Now we're all mad here and that's a good excuse for going to hell in a teapot, but not for forgetting what your senses saw. Forgetting is just forgetting, except when it's not. Then they call it something else. I'd like to forget what you did. I tried, but I can't.'

Hatter lifted his cane and pointed it to a door that lead to the next carriage. 'You best be going or else we're totally ruined! While you're there, remind whoever driving this train to bring in some tea.'

The group cast another look at the Mad Hatter before walking through the door that he indicated to them. The party found themselves in another carriage similar to the one the Mad Hatter was occupying but with a different passenger. This passenger happened to be a butterfly with dark coloured curved markings on his wings and covered in black fur. On his head were two long antenna's and it wore a solemn face. Caterpillar, who was now a butterfly, turned his head as Alice got nearer.

'Come to receive your punishment then?' he asked not unkindly.

'I know I'm guilty of something, but punishment never suits the victims of the crime.' Alice defended herself.

'Abuse is a crime the strong visit on the weak. And you're right, Abusers are insufficiently punished for the damage they do. Those who witness abuse without seeking retribution for the harmed, pay a penalty. Your own pain mitigates your failure to act earlier, but you may not have paid enough for witnessing the pain of others!'

'Oh come on!' Sora jumped in to defend Alice. 'Alice was eleven at that time! What can she do to prevent harm on others?'

Caterpillar nodded his head towards the door that lead to the next carriage. 'That is for the next passenger to decide.'

Alice looked at Caterpillar and at the door, realising who he was referring to. Without another word, she rushed towards the door and pushed it open: dissapearing into the next carriage. Sora, Donald and Goofy quickly followed after her, yet again appearing into another same carriage. When they stepped into the next carriage, the boys drew their weapons as the Red Queen sat calmly on one of the seats. To their surprise, Alice just approached her, a horrified look on her face.

'My Lizzie!' she cried. 'What is this train destination?'

Sora, Donald and Goofy almost dropped their weapons in surprise at Alice's words, their jaws dropping.

'The Red Queen is Lizzie?' Donald asked. 'Lizzie as in…'

'Alice's older sister!' Goofy confirmed.

The Red Queen, Elizabeth Liddell, cast a glance at the boys. 'Your dimwitted friends finally made the connection.' She turned back to Alice, scowling. 'To Madness and destruction, where else? You shouldn't ask questions you know the answers to, it's not polite. And that noise wasn't Lizzie talking in her sleep.'

'Poor Lizzie…' Alice gasped, covering her mouth.

'And there are no centaurs in Oxford.' The Red Queen continued sternly. 'Make your survival mean something, or we are all doomed!'

Alice uncovered her mouth and a determined line appeared on her face. She walked towards the final door with Sora, Donald and Goofy. Her hand was resting on the golden door knob as she turned back to the Red Queen, her sister.

'I will avenge you Lizzie.' She whispered.

Hearing her words, the Red Queen's words soften a bit. 'Be careful… Little Alice.'

Alice nodded and after taking a deep breath, she turned the knob and the door opened wide. The party had to blink when cold wind slammed into their faces, sending specks of dust into their eyes. The party members stepped out of the carriage and found themselves in an open-air platform. The platform's floor were paved with cold stones that were coated with the black substances and black iron fence surrounding it. Two giant pillars were in the middle of platform, in scripted with mosaics of children's' faces. Blood red sky loomed above them, sending down deadly bolts of lightning that struck the highest point of the two pillars or loomed in the horizon.

What terrified them the most was not the lightning but the behemoth abomination that stood before them, the Dollmaker. The Dollmaker loomed above the platform, more fearsome and grosteque as ever. As they got closer, they noticed two things about the Dollmaker. Firstly, there were two small pink arms attached on its upper back, waving in the air. Secondly, the first time they met the Dollmaker was when his arms were covered with white sleeves from his top. Now the sleeves were gone and there were no arms. His grotesque hands, however, were attached to his torso by three thin threads that wavered in the sky. Black ichor dropped from his mouth as he studied Alice and her friends, grinning horribly.


	8. The End of Madness

' **You shouldn't had come!'** he bellowed terribly, sending chills into the party. ' **You should have forgotten about Wonderland and your past! I shall enjoy making you suffer!'**

The Dollmaker raised his arm and brought it down towards the group, forcing the group to run in every directions. The giant monstrous palm slammed into the ground, sending both the group and black substances flying in all directions. Both Sora and Alice managed to roll back onto their feet while Donald and Goofy landed on their bottom and stomach respectively.

Alice pulled out Vorpal Blade and with a cry, she ran straight towards the palm. She underestimated the Dollmaker because he swung his hand towards her, slamming into her. Alice gasped in pain as she was sent flying backwards. Sora made his key-blade disappeared and stood his ground, his hands reached out. He was ready when Alice slammed into him, catching her in his hands.

Alice gasped and turned to Sora, smiling gratefully at him. Before they could exchange words, Sora pushed Alice away and jumped backwards as the Dollmaker's fist slammed between them: sending a shockwave. Alice got onto her feet and dashed towards the palm, Vorpal Blade in hand. She plunged the Vorpal Blade into the white mask that was in the middle of the palm, slashing it into two.

The Dollmaker roared in agonised pain but before he could pull his hand away, Sora summoned Kingdom Key and jumped towards the palm. He brought Kingdom Key down on the palm, leaving a deep slash on it. The Dollmaker roared again and quickly pulled away his palm. The Dollmaker gave a low and grated growl as he lifted his other palm, healthy with another child's face implanted into it.

As the Dollmaker's palm slammed towards Alice and Donald, it suddenly flinched away when a lightning bolt struck at it. The Dollmaker roared at Donald who had his wand pointed towards, still crackling with electricity. With the Dollmaker's healthy palm temporary paralysed with Donald's lightning spell, Goofy pulled his arm back and threw his shield. The shield flew like a frisbee, landing right smack on the white child's face. The shield bounced off the face and the shield had not returned to Goofy's hand yet when the face slowly fell off the hole in the palm, shattering into tiny pieces onto the platform.

The Dollmaker snarled in anger and raised both his hands, stirring the black inky substance spilled on the platforms. The black fluids slowly rise up and formed into Ruins, a dozen Insidious Ruins and two Menacing Ruins. The Dollmaker pointed a bony finger at the party and the Ruins marched forward, growling at the party. Sora and Alice stepped forward with blades raised while Donald and Goofy readied themselves. The lasts of the Insidious Ruins gave agonising screams as Alice's Vorpal Blade and Sora's key-blade sliced through them. A Menacing Ruin roared and pulling it porcelain arm back, threw a fireball at Donald and Goofy.

Goofy hold up his shield and the fireball deflected from the shield, flying back to the Menacing Ruin. The Menacing Ruin raised it porcelain arms to defend itself as the fireball slammed into it, shattering both porcelain arms into pieces. The Menacing Ruin roared and after a few grunts, charged towards Donald and Goofy. Donald pointed his want at the charging Menacing Ruin and shouted.

'Thundaga!'

Lightning fired from his wand and shot towards the Menacing Ruin, striking it to the core. The foul creature screamed angrily as it continued it charge, but slower with electricity crackling through its black body. Lightning stopped crackling around Donald's wand as the mage raised it into the air before bringing it down, pointing at the Menacing Ruin again.

'Blizarga!'

Ice spears materialised just above the Menacing Ruin and plunged into its three faces. The creature screamed in pain and became silent as Goofy slammed his shield into all three faces. The white child-like faces fell off the black block of corruption and shattered onto the pavement, turning into mush as it fell on its back.

Meanwhile, Alice and Sora dealt with the other Menacing Ruin. Using the Hobby Horse, Alice smashed the porcelain arms into pieces and continued into the right bottom face. The Menacing Ruin screamed in anger and raised a black oozing arm to strike at Alice. Before it could even bring it down on the girl, Sora jumped next to Alice and slashed the Menacing Ruin's arm off. The creature screamed again as Alice plunged the Vorpal Blade into the top face while Sora plunged his key-blade into the last one. The screams of the Menacing Ruin filled the air as it dissolved into black liquid, melting on the pavement.

With all of his minions taken out, the Dollmaker roared in anger and slammed both his palms into the platforms. Both of the deformed hands sent shockwave all across platform, sending the party flying backwards. Donald and Goofy fell on their back in a daze while Alice and Sora landed onto their feet. Alice pulled out the Pepper Grinder and turning the crank handle, fired fiery pepper corns at the Dollmaker's hands.

The Dollmaker laughed as the peppercorns were absorbed into its skin, having no effects on him. Alice frowned and stopped cranking the Pepper Grinder, pulling out the umbrella. The Dollmaker grunted and the peppercorns popped out from his hand, flying back towards Alice. Alice quickly opened the Umbrella and peppercorns bounced off it but were slowly driving her back. Sora quickly came to the rescue by jumping in front on Alice and deflecting the peppercorns with his key-blade.

Once there were no more peppercorns flying towards them, Sora charged forward: sliding forward to avoid a backhand slap by the Dollmaker. As the deformed hand flew above Sora, Alice leaped into the air and with a scream: driving her Vorpal Blade into it. The Dollmaker snarled and lifted his other hand, attempting to pick Alice by the scruff of her neck.

Without pausing and pressing onto the balls of his feet, Sora jumped backwards and threw Kingdom Key towards the hand. The key-blade sank into the flesh, driving deeper into it. Closing his eyes, Sora murmured a soft prayer. The key-blade suddenly glowed with radiant light. The light maybe soothing to Sora but it was causing great pain to the Dollmaker who thrashed his hands all over the platform, destroying the two pillars.

Alice quickly pulled out the Vorpal Blade from the hand and jumped off it, landing onto her feet. Then the hand with Kingdom Key stuck in it exploded violently, bits of flesh flying all over the place and blood splattering on the pavement. Sora held out his hand and Kingdom Key returned back into his hand.

The Dollmaker snarled in frustration and raised his other hand, aiming at Sora. Alice quickly pulled out the Hobby Horse and swung with all her might, breaking the Dollmaker's fingers. The Dollmaker screamed as his remaining fingers were crushed by Alice, trying to pull it away to safety. Before he could even do that, Sora leaped into the air and brought his key-blade down. He landed onto his feet as the Dollmaker's hand fell apart into two, turning into dust as it hit the pavement.

The Dollmaker roared, making the platform and the Infernal Train shakes at his fury. He glared at Sora and Alice with his hallowed eyes and growled.

' **MAKE BELIEVE AVENGER! YOU SHALL SUFFER FOR THAT!'**

The Dollmaker opened his mouth and unleashed a toxic smog, drowning the party in black fumes. Alice and Sora quickly covered their nose and mouth, trying to keep the smog from entering their bodies. At that time, Donald and Goofy woke up with a groan. When he was fully aware what was going on, Donald quickly pointed his wand and shouted.

'Aeroga!'

Wind blasted from his wand and blew away the smog, clearing the platform again. Alice and Sora breathed with relief, breathing in the clean air.

'Thanks Donald!' Sora shouted in gratitude.

The Dollmaker growled and opening his mouth again, he let his tongue rolled out. His long tongue was made out of black fluids and like his hands, white faces of children were stuck on it. Flinging his tongue sideway, it shot out black projectiles at the party. Alice and Goofy hid under their Umbrella and shield respectively while Sora and Donald dodged restlessly.

With the party distracted by the black residue firing from the Dollmaker's tongue, the behemoth creature took this opportunity to release more smog but only at the portion of the platform in front of him. When the smog dissipated, it revealed that half of the platform was melted off. This made it impossible for the party to reach the Dollmaker and fight him in close combat. With a triumphant roar, the Dollmaker continued to bombard the party with more black substances.

The party quickly got back together with Alice and Goofy providing cover for Sora and Donald. Every time a sludge slammed into their protection made them flinched, not knowing when their protection will fail.

'Does anyone have a plan?' Sora asked. 'Donald, can't you fired back with your spells?'

Donald frowned and looked back at the raining sludges. 'I doubt it. With all these things flying at us, I don't think I can even cast a spell. Let alone hit him.'

'I can try throwing my shield at him.' Goofy offered but winced at the impact on his shield. 'But that will leave us vulnerable and we only have Alice's umbrella for protection…'

'No!' the boys jumped slightly at Alice's sudden outburst. 'No more! I'm not going to hide anymore! Not from my crimes, not from my past, and definitely not from some bastard who ruin my life! It's time to finish this once and for all!'

Before any of them could stop her, Alice flung the Umbrella away and faced the Dollmaker head on. One of the sludge was aiming towards and before Sora or any of them could jump to her protection, the projectile hit Alice and enveloped her in smog.

'Alice!' Sora cried out.

As the party stared at where Alice was standing in horror, the Dollmaker threw back his head and laughed horribly. However, the Dollmaker stopped laughing as the smog dissipated. They all were staring in surprise at Alice still standing there and uninjured from the attack. More surprising was that she was covered in radiant light, even with angelic wings made out from light sprouting from her back.

Alice eyes were closed when the residue hit her but when she slowly opened them, a wave of light emitted from her. The wave hot the Dollmaker who flinched and screamed in agonising pain, trying to find something to shield his voidless eyes from the light. Sora, Donald and Goofy continued to stare at Alice's transformation when her words snapped them back to reality.

'Sora.' Alice said in an unexpected gentle tone. 'I'll need your strength one last time.'

Sora, still surprise, nodded dumbfoundedly and stood up with Kingdom Key in his hands. He held out Kingdom Key and Alice grabbed hold, their hands wrapped around each other as well as the handle of the key-blade. With a look of determination on their faces, they lifted the key-blade towards the Dollmaker. The key-blade glowed brightly and making a small pointing gesture, shot out an arrow of light.

The arrow of light cut of the long black tongue of the monster and pierced through his chest, leaving hole. The Dollmaker groaned and moaned in pain, swaying sideways to prevent himself from falling onto the pavement. Alice let go of Kingdom Key and turned to Sora, with a smile.

'Sora, please be a gentleman and give a lady a boost.'

Sora grinned and Kingdom Key disappearing from his hands, he knelt down and cupped his hands together. 'As you wish my lady.'

Alice smiled and placed one foot on Sora's hands, lifting the other foot off the ground. When she was ready, Sora threw his hands upwards, catapulting Alice into the air. Alice, aided by her new rings, sky-rocketed towards the Dollmaker. She raised the Vorpal Blade above her head and with a scream, slammed down onto the Dollmaker's forehead. The Dollmaker opened his blackened mouth and let out a terrifying and dying scream.

' **RRRROOOOOOAAAAAAHHHHHHH!'**

Then suddenly, the Dollmaker exploded violently, radiant light enveloping everything in its path. Sora screamed Alice's name as Donald pulled him behind Goofy's shield, taking cover from the explosion. Despite being a warrior of the light, Sora still found the light blinding as he had to cover his eyes. They crouched behind Goofy's shield for what felt like eternity. When Sora could wait anymore, he opened his eyes slowly lest the light blinded him.

To his surprise, instead of the platform where they were fighting the Dollmaker, they found themselves in an underground train station. It was dark and dank with two benches and a brick floor. On his right was the rail tracks connecting two dark tunnels. On his left was a stone staircase with light coming from presumably the outside. Sora was relieved that Donald and Goofy were at his sides but could not see Alice. He was about to ask what was going on when he heard Alice's curt voice.

'I'll see you charged. In prison, some half-wit bruiser will make you his sweetheart… And then you'll hang!'

Sora's eyes adjusted to the dark surrounding as he saw Alice but this Alice was different to the Alice he was accustomed to. Her dark hair was cut short to the shoulders and she wore black and white dress with a white apron over it. She was staring angrily at a tall man with brown hair and beard, glasses covering his brown eyes. He wore a black coat and pants with a black top hat on his head, a golden pocket watch hanging from his chest pocket. In his hand was a key and on his face was a sneer.

'Indeed?' Doctor Angus Bumby, Alice's psychiatrist and the Dollmaker in Wonderland, scoffed. 'A hysterical woman, former lunatic, roaring outrageous accusations against a respectable social architect and scientist. My god, Alice, who would believe you? I could scarcely believe myself!'

'You monstrous creature!' Alice continued vehemently. 'Such evil, will be punished!'

'By whom? By what?' Bumby said dismissively. 'Psychotic, little bitch. Your madness will be punished. Now leave. I'm expecting your replacement.'

Hearing the entire conversation and outraged, Sora wanted to knock Bumby senseless. He did not need to. Alice walked forward towards Bumby and snatched the key away from his hand, turning her back on him. To Sora and Bumby's surprise, Alice's appearance changed to the appearance Sora was used to in Wonderland. Alice… Wonderland's Alice… stepped forward towards the surprised Bumby and shoved him onto the rails. As if right on time, a train slammed into Bumby with a sickening crunch: sending his lifeless body into the dark tunnel.

Alice looked satisfied at her deed as Sora, Donald and Goofy approached her. She turned to them, an apologetic look on her face.

'I'm sorry you had to witness that.'

Sora just shook his head. 'You needed to kill that man. He was a cancer to not only on you and Wonderland to the real world as well. Is it over?'

Alice slowly nodded. 'I think so. I felt like a burden have been lifted from my shoulders.' She looked around, disgust appearing on her face. 'Let's get out of here, I need some fresh air.'

'Agreed.' Sora said, holding out his hand.

Alice looked at his hand, arching her eyebrow. With a smile, she took it and allowed him to lead her out of the station. Donald opened his beak to say something but Goofy placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. Donald sighed as he and Goofy followed the pair up the stairs. As they climbed the staircase, they were surprise to see plants growing out from the edges of the staircase and their surprise only increase when they stepped into the light.

It was London but had bizarrely changed. The brick road were carpets of grass and flowers shoot out everywhere. Every houses and buildings, even the Big Ben, were covered with creepers with colourful flowers sprouting from it. Oversized trees and giant mushrooms stood tall and proud along the streets of this new city. Above them stood a clear blue sky with white clouds floating to the gentle breeze and the sun unleashing its radiant rays.

Goofy scratched his head. 'A-hyuk. I didn't that mushrooms can grow in London.'

'Where are we?' Donald asked, looking all over the place.

'Question is: are we in the real world or in Wonderland?' Sora asked, looking at Alice.

Alice smiled. 'It's Wonderland… Back to normal again.'

Out from nowhere, the jumped as the Cheshire Cat's voice echoed in the air: his whereabouts unknown.

'Ah Alice and friends.' He began in his cryptic tone. 'We can't go home again. No surprise, really. Only a few find the way; and most of them don't recognise it when they do. Delusions, too, die hard. Only the savage regard the endurance of pain as the measure of worth. Forgetting pain is convenient. Remembering it, agonising. But recovering the truth is worth the suffering. And our Wonderland, though damage, is safe in memory… For now.'

'Blasted cat…' Alice said without any venom. 'He have to leave me with cryptic messages… I will miss him though.'

'Look!' Donald pointing at a red vehicle constricted by creepers and vines. It was a spaceship, a too futuristic vehicle for Victorian London.

'It's the Gummi Ship!' Goofy cried out excitedly. 'But what's it doing here?'

'Who knows?' Donald shrugged. 'This is Wonderland after all.' Then a big smile appeared on his beak. 'Come on, let's go home!'

'Yeah!' Goofy said. 'Another job well done! A-hyuk!'

Sora grinned and was about to join his friends when he remembered Alice next to him. He turned to face her and his blue eyes met her green eyes, their gaze lingering onto one another. Still holding hands, Sora and Alice stood silent for a very long time. There were no sounds excepts for the chirping of the birds and their friends happy chattering.

Then Alice hugged Sora tightly, burying her face into his chest. Sora gasped slightly and hugged back, her hug warm and comforting. They stood in embrace for another long silence and Sora could hear Alice's whispers.

'Thank you Sora.' Alice whispered, tightening her hug on him. 'Thank you for everything. For saving me… For saving Wonderland and… For being my friend. Thank you.'

Sora smiled warmly as he whispered back. 'You're being too modest with yourself Alice. It was you who saved yourself and Wonderland. Me, Donald and Goofy just tagged along. Although… I did play a big part in it so your welcome.'

Alice gave a choked laugh. 'Stupid idiot… Blockhead…' Alice looked up at Sora, tears in her eyes but she was smiling. 'I haven't laugh for a long time. It feels good.' Then her smile fell. 'I guess you have to go.'

'Yeah.' Sora said apologetically. 'I have a wife waiting for me back on Destiny Island. I don't want to keep her waiting. Don't worry Alice, I will come…'

Alice put a finger on his lips, prompting him to stop talking. 'I understand Sora. And I will be here waiting for your return.' She hesitated and then blushed. 'I know you're married but...'

Now it was Sora's turn to be surprise as Alice pulled his head closer her and their lips met, kissing deeply. Sora, his mind confused at what was going on, slowly closed his eyes as he and Alice continued to kiss. He can hear Donald and Goofy's surprise gasps but he ignored them. Slowly, their lips parted as Alice gently pushed them apart. She smiled at the dumbfounded look on Sora's face.

'I read in a book where a maiden give thanks to a knight who rescued her with a kiss. So… I thought I do the same.'

Sora could only stare at her, mute. Alice smiled .

'Send my regards to Kairi. I'm sure you two will be so happy together. I'll… Will see you around.'

Without another word, Alice turned and ran further into this new Wonderland: the heavy vegetation blocking her view. Sora could only stare as she disappeared from his view, touching his lips in total shock. He snapped back to reality when Donald coughed, causing him to turn to his friends. He could see that both Donald and Goofy were both surprise at Alice's action. Then to his further surprise, grins appeared on their faces.

'Don't worry Sora.' Donald said. 'Your secret is safe with us.'

'Yeah! A-hyuk!' Goofy nodded. 'Kairi won't know a thing.'

Sora let out a sigh of relief. 'Thanks guys. Come on, Kairi is probably waiting for me. I got a long story for her.'

Sora, Donald and Goofy entered the Gummi ship and soon the ship lifted off from the ground, sending leaves flying in every direction. The Gummi Ship lifted up into the air and when it was above the buildings, the engine roared and sky-rocketed through the white clouds: disappearing in a blink.

* * *

Alice panted heavily as she climbed to the top of the Big Ben, breathing deeply for air. Sweat were starting to appear on her forehead as she leaned against one of the pillars of the tower. She was just on time to see the Gummi ship lift off and head into the sky, leaving Wonderland. Alice waved as the Gummi ship disappeared from her sight, allowing her tears to flow down her cheeks. She immediately wiped her tears away as she whispered to herself.

'Goodbye Sora. Safe journey back home. I hope to see you again… My friend.'

Once the Gummi ship, with Sora, was truly gone, Alice looked up at the blue sky: a happy smile on her face.


End file.
